Heading into Wednesday night’s interleague game with the American League East last-place Baltimore Orioles, the Dodgers had two relievers with a perfect 0.00 earned run average.

After that game, there was only one.

When 30-year-old Dodgers left-hander Adam Kolarek who, ironically, was born in Baltimore, entered Wednesday night’s game at Camden Yards, he had not allowed a run since being acquired by the Dodgers at the July 31 trade deadline (in exchange for highly-touted minor league outfielder Niko Hulsizer). But in his 0.1 inning pitched on Wednesday, he allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit, a two-run home run to Orioles catcher Pedro Severino, his 12th of the season and the first earned run allowed by Kolarek in his combined 9.1 innings pitched in a Dodgers uniform, thus turning his perfect 0.00 ERA into a horrendous (yes, I’m being facetious) 0.96 ERA.

By then, however, the game was already pretty much out of hand after Dodgers right-hander and postseason set-up man hopeful Joe Kelly blew the 4-3 save for 22-year-old Dodgers rookie right-hander and postseason hopeful Dustin May, who himself had entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning in relief of right-handed ‘opener’ and postseason hopeful Ross Stripling. Kelly allowed a two-out single to Orioles designated hitter Dwight Smith Jr. in the sixth, which tied the game at four.

…but not for long.

In the bottom of the seventh, Dodgers left-hander and postseason hopeful Caleb Ferguson walked the first batter he faced, followed by a single, followed by a groundout, followed by a three-run home run by Orioles shortstop Jonathan Villar in his 0.1 inning of work, which essentially drove a stake through the heart of the (apparently hungover) Dodgers, who had clinched their seventh consecutive National League West division title the night before.

What did Dodgers manager Dave Robert have to say when about his entire bullpen basically auditioning for a postseason roster spot prior to Wednesday’s loss to the second-worst team in all of baseball this season?

“I think if you look at who we have right now, I’d put them all in that bucket,” Roberts answered. “There’s still a lot of baseball and a lot of decisions to be made.”

So who, then, is the only remaining Dodgers pitcher with a perfect 0.00 ERA, you ask?

Why that would be 36-year-old Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, of course. The 14-year MLB veteran has yet to allow a run through his (thus far) 4.0 innings of relief. The East York, Canada native and Dodgers 17th round draft pick in 2002 out of Chipola College in Marianna, FL has allowed no runs and only two hits, while walking none and striking out two of the combined 13 batters he has faced.

Obviously, Martin absolutely will make the Dodgers postseason roster, but it will be as a catcher not as a reliever.

Then again…

Play Ball!

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