Eric Bolte-US PRESSWIRE

The LA Galaxy are the forgotten team in LA and with their recent play it may be beset for the LA fans to continue to root for the the other sports while the Galaxy round into form.

On the 2nd of May, the LA Galaxy were doing their best to build on their previous game, a 1-1 tie vs. FC Dallas but the visiting Galaxy came out flat footed in Seattle. Playing shorthanded, without Saunders, Keane or Beckham, the Galaxy relied on Landon Donovan to no avail. At the 40th minute Eddie Jonson of the Sounders broke the nil nil game. It wasn’t long after the break that Fredy Montero was able to score another goal for the Sounders. That’s the way the game ended, 2-0 another loss for the Galaxy.

On the first Saturday in May, while I was at the local racetrack wager and watching the Kentucky Derby, the Galaxy were on the pitch once again trying to get back on track. This time they were hosting the New York Red Bulls. With most of the major players back in the starting lineup (except for Saunders), it was expected that the Galaxy would have an easier time against the Red Bulls who were without the league scoring leader Thierry Henry. And they did.

The Galaxy controlled the game, had a major advantage in the time of possession but failed to convert on their 5 shot on goals. The player of this game had to be the keeper for the Red Bulls with 5 saves. The Galaxy were just unable to punch it in and thus had to settle for 1-0 loss. A tough loss nonetheless.

This last Saturday, the Galaxy traveled to Montreal to take on the Impact. It was only 8 minutes into the game when the Galaxy fell behind thanks to a goal by Impact’s forward David Arnaud. As the previous game, the Galaxy had a greater possession of the ball and out shot their opponents. But it took the touch of Beckham to bend the ball into the net from a free kick just outside the box. The goal seemed to liven the pace for the Galaxy as they kept the pressure on the Impact. But, alas, it was to no avail. The game ended with score being tied 1-1.

So there you have it. Three games in May for the Galaxy and they have netted just 1 point. On Saturday they face their home sharing rivals Chivas USA who at 10 points are second last in the Western Conference yet only 1 behind the Galaxy. I am not saying its a must win but they cannot afford to lose this game.

For the time being, I will tune in to the Kings, Lakers, and Clippers and root for them as they try to bring glory back to LA. As for the Galaxy, I will watch with hopes that they can right this ship before it turns into the Titanic.

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You have probably heard of the fable about the hare challenging the tortoise to a race. The hare is certain he’ll win with his speed, and he routinely takes breaks during the contest as a result. However, his overconfidence proves to be his weakness as the tortoise takes advantage, and slow and steady win the race.

I bring this up because I can’t help but see this fable play out with the Dodgers. Dee Gordon is the hare, of course, and A.J. Ellis is the tortoise.

Before Sunday’s win over Colorado, Don Mattingly said Gordon would continue to bat leadoff because there is no other suitable candidate. Not Bobby Abreu, not Tony Gwynn Jr., not Mark Ellis and not A.J. Ellis. But why does a struggling player receive such a strong vote of confidence from his manager, while someone much better suited for the leadoff role wastes away in the eight hole?

The answer is speed. Managers believe that speed kills, and that teams cannot afford to have someone with Gordon’s speed stuck just ahead of the pitcher. However, the speed has not paid off. Gordon has stolen 12 bases, but has also been caught stealing five times. That’s five times a player with a .250 OBP has seen his successful attempt at reaching base go for naught. He also bunts frequently; according to Baseball Reference, Gordon is 4-for-12 when bunting for a base hit. When he has swung the bat, he has accrued 25 strikeouts and seven walks.

Now compare that to A.J. Ellis, who has 19 strikeouts and 21 walks, good for a .454 OBP. Ellis has reached base safely 48 times, while Gordon done so 34 times, despite Gordon having 30 more plate appearances. And yet, Ellis has been asked to sacrifice twice, including Saturday night, a strategy that takes the bat away from one of the best hitters on the team and in baseball. He has also scored only 11 runs, three from home runs that he hit himself, and Gordon has scored 15, one from his own homer.

Not only would the Dodgers benefit from Ellis batting first, but if Gordon bats eighth and reaches base, LA’s pitchers are less likely to bunt into double plays and more likely to create exciting plays. Imagine, Gordon hits a single and steals second. Clayton Kershaw bunts him to third, bringing A.J. Ellis to the plate. He can walk, which would bring up Mark Ellis, and his .374 OBP, with men on the corners and Matt Kemp on deck, or he can single, which would score the run.

But alas, Ellis has no speed. He has only attempted one steal in his entire MLB career, and he was caught stealing. Mattingly says he prefers to have Ellis’s bat ahead of the pitcher to turn the lineup around, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any manager who wouldn’t balk at the idea of a slow-footed catcher batting first. He’d clog the bases, make it more likely that someone hits into a double play. He couldn’t steal second, take third on a ground-out to the right side and score on a sacrifice fly.

Gordon has a lot of potential, and without any real replacement in the wings, he should remain in the starting lineup. But a baseball season is often called a marathon, and it should only be natural that slow and steady wins the pennant race.

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Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

In a sea full of white at Jobing.com Arena the Los Angeles Kings stood strong in their first Conference Final Playoff game and beat the No. 3 Arizona Coyotes 4-2 in the first game of the series.

The Kings are now the first team to have eight straight playoff road wins since the New Jersey Devils.

The Los Angeles Kings are within one series of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals for only the second time in the team’s history. The last time was nineteen years ago in 1993 with ‘The Great One’ Wayne Greztky leading the way. Unfortunately the Kings lost the series to the Montréal Canadians.

The Kings are on fire right now as they eliminated the No. 1 (Canucks) and No. 2 (Blues) seed respectably.

Going into the first period the Kings had solid control of the game and four minutes into the game Anze Kopitar put the Kings on board first with a back handed goal past Coyotes goalie Mike Smith.

The Coyotes would get a goal before the period ended on a redline shot by Dereck Morris that went just past King goalie Jonathan Quick.

L.A. was more aggressive on the fly and on it four check during the game. Both teams added goals in the second period with Kings taking a 2-1 lead after Dwight King scored and it was tied 2-2 at the end with the Coyotes scoring.

It was the goal by Kings captain Dustin Brown in the third that proved to be the game winner. This whole playoffs we all can see the leadership and determination by Brown.

The Coyotes pulled Smith with less the two minutes to play, but could not capitalize and King scored again with an empty net.

Los Angeles will continue its route on Tuesday for game two of the Conference Finals.

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After signing a ten-year, $254 million contract this past December, here are the superstar’s statistics as of this writing:

May 6, 2012; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols (5) crosses home plate after hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Angel Stadium - his only home run of the season so far. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

- 12 runs batted in.

- All of one home run. ONE – hit against Toronto on May 6.

and, incredibly…

- A batting average of .196; I don’t think he has reached .200 yet this season.

Which is most obviously far, far below the huge numbers that he has put up for the past ten years plus.

I would like to make something perfectly clear right now:

Unlike numerous Angel fans who have been booing this perennial All-Star, I AM NOT jumping Pujols’ case, or ragging on him for this bad start, or anything like that whatsoever.

Indeed, I think that the fans who are booing Pujols are, while understandably as frustrated as he is for how he has been hitting, are also a bit ignorant because this is a situation where as great a player as this man is – he is a clear first ballot Hall of Famer – he needs more support than what at least some Angel fans are giving him.

Do I think that Pujols’ skills are waning? Absolutely not!

In my opinion, which I’m sure doesn’t mean much as my last real baseball game that I played in was at 17 years old in a recreation league – I didn’t even make my high school team – these struggles are a combination of the American League’s pitchers doing a good job following the scouting reports and Pujols taking too many strikes and not being aggressive enough when the pitches are in the strike zone.

I think if he stops letting strikes go by and starts killing the first strike he sees, at least for the next few games to see if that would be affective, his numbers will start to go up. That’s what I would do if I were in his situation.

Personally, it has been a bit saddening to watch the best baseball player of the 21st century (yes, I said it) go through these troubles, which has been a factor in the Angels’ less than stellar record.

That’s why rather than being one of those fans who are booing and turning on him, I’m looking at Pujols with sympathy at the season he’s having to this point, as he is too great a hitter to be batting .196 with only a single ball hit over the fence.

It’s my hope that this man gets back on track, because it would be sad to see him end up with six home runs and 60 RBI’s, which is what his current numbers are projecting to be, as it would triggers cries of “He’s all washed up!” and “The Angels wasted $254 million dollars!”

The only thing left to do is to see how things unfold.

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

That’s why they play seven games.

As lame as the Lakers looked on occasion, they had enough superior talent to make up for their problems. The Nuggets have as many good players as the Lakers have, but the Lakers have the Big Three and the Nuggets don’t have a single player that is anywhere near any one of them.  So the outcome was inevitable but it was instructive to see how bad the local lads can look and to see some of their internal difficulties laid bare.

The Lakers won the decisive fourth quarter, 27-19, and it was during that time that it dawned on me for the first time since Game One that the Lakers really are better than the Nuggets. That hadn’t been clear in their wins, let alone their embarrassing losses. The Nuggets were never embarrassed; they just weren’t good enough.

The key to this game was shot distribution. The Big Three were all able to express themselves. Why or how they came up with this cool, old-school winning formula, I don’t know. They did it successfully two or three times earlier this season but then abandoned it each time. Kobe Bryant took 16 shots! When Kobe takes 16 shots, the Lakers win. Pau took 19 shots, Bynum took 15 shots, World Peace took 15 shots, Blake took 11 shots. Those five guys scored between 15 and 23 points. Textbook, baby.

Pau Gasol answered his critics with a dominating and relentless 23 points, 17 rebounds (11 on the offensive glass), six assists, four blocked shots, one steal and one turnover in 41 minutes. In the biggest game of the season thus far, Pau Gasol came up bigger than anyone.

Bynum missed a lot of shots (4-15) but was also dominating inside—16 points, 18 rebounds (nine on offense), six blocked shots, one steal and one turnover in 42 minutes. Twin Towers, indeed.

World Peace was a large presence on offense (15 points, 4-11 on 3-pointers) and perhaps more so on defense, upsetting the Nuggets’ flow over and over with his stifling man-to-man defense that included four steals, two blocked shots and only one turnover in 43 minutes.

Steve Blake played 29 minutes while Ramon Sessions played 19 minutes. I’ve been critical of that imbalance in minutes but last night, no argument. Blake hit 5 of 6 3-pointers and that was all the Lakers needed. Even though both teams shot 39%, the Lakers had an edge, hitting 11 of 24 3s, while the Nugs hit only 7 of 26.

Kobe’s modest 16 points but whopping eight assists, coupled with a must-win win, speaks volumes. Sorry, LeBron, to my mind, Kobe is the MVP of this league. LeBron is just another great all-around player. There are several of them in the NBA. But that’s not even close to what Kobe brings every night, all year, every year. Last night the greatest one-on-one scorer in NBA history scored a mere 16 points but created an environment in which his team-mates could, and did, excel. Here’s the difference: If LeBron scored 16 points in a Game Seven, the Heat would probably lose.

While Pau was the big gun last night, Kobe was the catalyst, making sure all the gears were meshing smoothly. After blowing a 16-point lead, the Lakers held their ground, pushed back, and wound up winning decisively. Impressive.

Nuggets Post-Mortem: They appeared to run out of gas after playing a bit over their heads for the last week.  Yes, they could run the Lakers ragged sometimes but they didn’t have a half-court game to go along with it. Nor are they big enough. Kenneth Faried, who should be coming off the bench with his incredible energy, is their starting power forward even though he’s listed at 6’8” and weighs only 228 pounds–and looks it. Yet there he was trying to guard Pau Gasol, a 7-footer with moves and, last night, an attitude. They also need a consistent scorer. Afflalo isn’t doing it at the off-guard and Gallinari, their small forward and biggest gun, was 1-9 from the field last night. Andre Miller was 1-10. JaVale McGee was 1-7. Corey Brewer was 2-9.  A team that normally has about ten turnovers a game and almost that many steals, last night had 18 TOs with five steals. The Lakers had 11 turnovers and 10 steals.

Now it’s on to Oklahoma City where the Lakers’ fatigue will be matched against the Thunder’s rust after nine days off.  After seeing the Lakers play well with bell-curve shot distribution, I’m eager to see if they (meaning mostly Kobe) will do it again or abandon it again.

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The Lakers and Clippers could possibly play each other in a cross-hall rivalry in the Western Conference finals. Or much more easily they could both ignominiously lose in game 7s, after each being up 3-1 in their respective first round series.

It could use some more dialogue courtesy of Mitchell Hurwitz, or more inside camera exclusives with narration from Liev Shreiber. But Hollywood couldn’t write a script so . . . realistic

Scene 1: Morning shoot-around Toyota Center

Kobe Bryant sits out for his second shoot-around in three days. Andrew Bynum against his better judgment decides to talk to the media in the final fifteen minutes of the shoot-around, and risks putting more material on the Nuggets already crowded bulletin board. While even the quietest Lakers shoot-around is like Coachella compared to any Toronto Raptors shoot-around, there was a heightened frenzy around the facility. A barrage of questions and angst, transferred from the fans to their unelected, team-sanctioned representatives echo off the walls of the gym. After being suspended for 7 games for his appearance on Conan, Metta World Peace returns to the aid and distraction of the Lakers. How will that effect the game? Only one way to find out: ask Kobe. Enter: Reporters and Kobe

Reporter: “You seem calm”

Dec 9, 2011; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (8) is interviewed by the media at the Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWI

Kobe: “I am calm”
R: “Is it because the Lakers have won 10 straight game 7s at home?”
K: ” I didn’t know that”
R: “ Or because only 8 teams all time have ever lost a 3 games to 1 lead?”
K: “I’m not interested really, in what 8 teams haven’t been able to do”
R: “Brian Shaw isn’t walking through that door”
K: “World Peace is”
R: “Have you been following the Clippers series?”
K: “No.”

Scene 2: Sunday morning shoot around, FedEx Forum, Memphis

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin don’t suit up, but rather do not pass go, do not collect $200, and go straight to getting treatment. The task before the visiting Clippers is simple. Win one game on the road to avoid another embarrassing chapter to a pathetically un-storied history. On Friday the Clippers hustled their way to one of the ugliest games possible; but clear path fouls, a bizarre technical on a high five, and a missed defensive board bobbled off the hands of Evans and Martin with under five minutes to play all cost the Clippers dearly. Classily, Del Negro handles the questions of the reporter eager to pounce on the futility of the Clippers franchise at the shoot-around. Enter: Del Negro and Reporter

Reporter: “What is the status of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin’s injuries?
Del Negro: “They’re game time decisions. They are competitors, so if they can go, they’ll go.”
R:” How do you respond to critics who say they shouldn’t have played?”
DN: “I am nit going to call out their effort or injury status. They’re professionals”
R: “What if anything has owner Donald Sterling said to you during these playoffs?”
DN: “We haven’t spoken”
R: “What was your reaction to last nights Lakers result? How does that effect your team”
DN: “We have our hands full already”

May 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown (right) talks with guard Kobe Bryant (24) during game five of the 2012 Western Conference quarterfinals against the Denver Nuggets at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Scene 3: Saturday night, Staples Center, Lakers vs Nuggets Game 7

The obvious hero of this tale has fire in his eyes. He is not fond of Denver. He hasn’t smiled since Monday. The talented youth is Andrew Bynum. His talent is undeniable but his dedication is continually questioned. The All Star ensemble cast is present: two time champion Pau Gasol, peaceless Metta World Peace, and Lakers great Derek Fisher. Obviously not in uniform, Fisher is sitting hardly inconspicuously next to a man who has his own flare for the dramatic, Denzel Washington. Both judging and scouting his former teammates and possible competition, Fisher is a symbol in stark contrast to the immaturity displayed in two failed close-out games. The villain is not a single person, and hardly hated for their antagonistic ways. The Nuggets are like the more than one million soldiers who attack the 300 Spartans, the faceless waves of perpetrators who keep relentlessly attacking even if they are as impossibly old as Andre Miller.

The crowd is electric as the Lakers make their first three field goals: Bynum with a hook over his left shoulder, Kobe from the post, and a 3 pointer from Metta World Peace on a kick-out. George Karl calls timeout. The former SuperSonics coach “FaceTime’s” NBA great Gary Payton, to diagram which moves of point guard post-up destruction Andre Miller will rain down on Ramon Sessions. He inflicts up and unders, step throughs, spin moves and layups. Josh McRoberts was spotted with a pen and a notepad at the end of the bench.

Pau looks lethargic, like he had just spent a night out in the Spanish Riviera with brother Marc Gasol, whom spent a night out on the town with brother Pau Friday night in LA after an evening win at the Clippers.

The Lakers ended the first quarter and the first half down by 4 and 9 points respectively, unable to get anything going. The Lakers in the locker-room feel like now is probably a good time they will “turn it on.” At least they have their health.

Scene 4: Sunday Night, Fed Ex Forum Memphis, Clippers vs Grizzlies Game 7

The prediction, no the statement from Grizzlies fans on Wednesday came to fruition. They did in fact, “See you (the Clippers) Sunday.”

There is not much that needs to be said by either coach. Lionel Hollins won’t say anything more inspiring than the fans roaring, “I told you so.” Nothing Vinny Del Negro can say reverses the facts of Clippers lore. Heavy lays the dunce cap. Destined to fail, the Clippers win the opening tip and fall behind early again.

In a series where the outcomes rarely matched the outcome on the floor, Sunday’s game plays out exactly like you would expect. All of the magic and unpredictability of the series has been used up in the improbability of two Los Angeles franchises in the NBA playoffs, with 3-1 leads, likely losing their best of seven series.

Quickly Del Negro reverts to his bench who made the game on Friday. In the loud arena, Bledsoe looks out of sorts, Evans got two quick cheapy fouls, and Mo Williams looks like he did as the right hand man of Lebron James, unable to make the shots he normally does.

The Clippers look like they are running through mud, but they are running. Trying desperately to reverse the fortunes of the franchise as they trail by double digits at half time. They hope what happened to the Lakers . . .

Scene 5: Saturday, second half Lakers vs. Nuggets

Jump shots roll in and out. Put backs aren’t falling. If it weren’t for the volume of free throws the Lakers would really be in trouble. Not even Jack Nicholson yelling at the refs can save this team. The crowd’s anxiousness suffocates Staples Center like a thick fog, which doesn’t bother the Nuggets who are used to playing at altitude.

The game slows down to a virtual standstill. A slow motion scene, akin to Saving Private Ryan, of Ty Lawson dunks, missed defensive rebounds, and Javale McGee dunks leaves the home team stunned from the visiting team’s flash grenades. The

Jan 25, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) and point guard Derek Fisher (2) talk during a time out in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. Lakers won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Feb 15, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls former players Michael Jordan (left) and Scottie Pippen (right) before the game between the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Bobcats at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

inevitability swirls around Kobe with the camera gaining speed and sound picking back up to Normal 100%, real time.

Its not just because of the score that it becomes apparent that the Lakers are going to be the 9th team in NBA history to give up a 3-1 series lead. As a long rebound off a Steve Blake missed three yields a fast break punctuated by a lob to Javale McGee beating Bynum down the floor, he Lakers do not rally, do not show a spirited effort. They are the cool kids in middle school. They deliberately decide its cool to not try. A gutsy spirited effort is beneath them, and their blasé attitude seems to lurk and wait only for the opportunity to commit a flagrant 2 foul like the one on JJ Barea a year ago. The camera cuts between Kobe and Fisher. Kobe and Fisher. Michael and Scottie. Kobe and Fisher.

Scene 6: Sunday night, Second half Clippers at Grizzlies Game 7

The looks on the new faces to the Clippers organization say it all. Chris Paul, Kenyon Martin, Reggie Evans, Trey Thompkins, helpless Chauncey Billups, and despite being used to dysfunction even Nick Young: So this is what its like to be on the Clippers. The crowd grew louder, Vinny del Negro yelled louder, the lead grew larger. The injuries were finally too great, Memphis finally figured out how to close the game as the Clippers aggressive defensive isn’t forcing turnovers but yielding layups.

Nowhere near Memphis, Donald Sterling will look at his phone Monday morning. Then he’ll see the spattering of text messages and phone calls informing him of what he was certain of before the season started—the Clippers lost.

Scene 7: Lakers season aftermath

It was even on announcer Stu Lantz’s mind before the game ended. Calling it how it is, disgusted with the team’s performance, he says “You have to consider what is Mike Brown’s future in Los Angeles after this. Kobe only has so many good seasons left, and management will have to look back and say, ‘Is this our guy?’”

The private line from the commissioner’s office to the referee’s earpiece somehow failed. It can’t affect effort either. Doug Christie watches with unabashed enjoyment, but jealous of the Nuggets success. The Lakers exit with a whimper of effort, and a whirlwind of speculation more intense than the previous season’s.

Derek Fisher escapes Staple Center, because he is not in a Lakers uniform. He is not driving the sinking ship but was put on the first life raft to Oklahoma City. As he looks up in the rafters where he certainly earned the opportunity to see his number 2 hang one day, his mixed emotions of empathy and spiteful joy mix like a rough shot your friends buy you on your 21st birthday. Despite the happy occasion it burns on the way down. He slowly exits the building to make a run after Kobe’s elusive sixth championship.

Mitch Kupchak gets offered enough money to jump off the flaming bridge and somehow land in Portland as their new GM. With no strong figure to save him, surely a combination of Buss Jr. and the new GM looking to make a name will fire Mike Brown. And to think before an elbow and a 3-1 series lead, everything was fine in LakerLand, if not LA land.

May 11, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marreese Speights (5) fouls Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) in the second half of game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center. Grizzlies won 90-88. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Scene 8: Clippers aftermath

Rehab and offseason surgeries, Fractured hands, hip flexors and knees all need to be scoped and repaired with glue, tape, and psychotherapy. The organization starting should take most of the responsibility. They are too inept to consider a name change like “Devil Rays” to “Rays.”

Next the players, most of them new, but still unable to undo the curse of the Clippers organization, a stronger brand than any goat could conjure, should take the responsibility.

But inevitably it will lie at the feet of Vinny Del Negro who pushed the right buttons most of the year, lead the Clippers to their best winning percentage ever, and to the playoffs. He will be fired. Déjà vu to his prequel in Chicago. Fired after only two successful years developing a young superstar. Seeing the melee from the bench as well, Chauncey Billups decides that he needs to escape and sign somewhere, anywhere else. Fade into a whole offseason for the pressure and expectations to build on the crushing failure of 2012.

Two teams. One city. Two 3 games to 1 leads. 2 crushing defeats in stunning parallelism.

Or both teams could pull out the victories in Game 7, you never know.

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May 11, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis (14) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Mark Ellis has arrived.

The starting 2B had a .377 OBP entering Friday night’s contest, but only a .317 slugging percentage. Ellis showed some pop however, hitting his first home run of the season in the first inning of LA’s 7-3 victory over Jamie Moyer and the Colorado Rockies.

After Ellis’s home run, the 49-year-old Moyer retired the next ten batters he faced before giving up a two-out double to Andre Ethier in the fifth inning. Bobby Abreu then singled Ethier home, giving Abreu his first RBI as a Dodger and the Boys in Blue a two-run cushion. In the fifth, Ellis doubled to score Matt Treanor and Chris Capuano, and Ellis would score on a single by Ethier. Andre later homered in the seventh, and Juan Uribe hit his first tater of the season in the eighth.

Capuano continued his string of great outings, throwing six scoreless innings before giving up a solo-homer to Michael Cuddyer in the top of the seventh with two out. In seven innings of work, Capuano surrendered just one run, four hits  and no walks while striking out three, good for his fifth win of the season. He has given up only six runs in his last six starts.

The bullpen suffered another rocky game though. Javy Guerra retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth before walking Marco Scutaro. Tyler Colvin followed with a pinch-hit single, and Guerra was promptly pulled so southpaw Scott Elbert could face the left-handed Carlos Gonzalez. Elbert struck out Gonzalez, ending the inning and preventing any real damage. In the ninth, Todd Coffey made his first appearance since coming off the disabled list, and he gave up two singles to start the inning. Coffey then manged to coax a sacrifice fly and strikeout, letting the Rockies cut the Dodgers’ lead to 7-2, but Dexter Fowler tripled to plate another run. Ronald Belisario had to be brought in, and he retired the only batter he faced to end the game.

Though he hadn’t played since Sunday, Jerry Hairston Jr. had remained on the active roster up until early Friday, when the Dodgers ultimately decided to place him on the 15-day DL. They recalled Justin Sellers to take his place. Hairston’s stint on the disabled list will be retroactive to Monday. Hairston’s absence will be a blow the Dodger bench, both on defense and offense; he had an .866 OPS before injuring his hamstring.

The Dodgers also made a minor addition (in more ways than one) official after the game. The team announced it had signed Aaron Miles to a minor-league contract. Miles was an integral part of the Dodger infield last year; he appeared in 136 games and started 110 of them. However, he had a paltry .660 OPS during that time, and his defense wasn’t much better (.1 UZR at second base and -3.7 UZR at third). Miles did not sign with any team during the offseason.

Los Angeles goes for its third win in a row Saturday, sending Aaron Harang. The Rockies will counter with Juan Nicasio.

On the Mark: Ellis Homers, Drives in Three for Dodgers’ Win - The 110 Report - The 110 Report - A Los Angeles Sports Site - Lakers, Clippers, Kings, USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, Ducks, Angels, Galaxy

Chris Humphreys-US PRESSWIRE

I just finished watching the Clippers lose at home to the Grizzlies. Thus the Clips have done exactly what the Lakers have done, that is, go ahead 3 games to 1, then lose two straight to force a Game Seven. Both teams could have closed out their series at home.  Doesn’t bode well for the Clippers.

Nor for the Lakers.  They embarrassed themselves in Game Six. Aside from their overall poor play, what stunk was the lack of urgency to their game–except for Kobe, who played well and played hard.  Granted I say this after the fact, but Kobe probably shouldn’t have played. The man was sick and looked it. The fact that he played well, shot well and fought hard every second he was on the floor doesn’t matter. He was great and they lost anyway, so why not make sure you have him for Game Seven if there is one. Or how about playing him fewer minutes than usual. Instead, Kobe played 37 minutes, while every other Laker played under 30 minutes. C’mon, Mike Brown.

Pau in his 28 minutes was 1-10 from the floor and, counting his 1-2 from the foul line, scored a grand total of three points, adding three rebounds and one assist.

Bynum had 16 rebounds and four blocked shots to go with his 11 points. Not a bad night at all. Sometimes he doesn’t work hard enough but the fact is he was doubled-teamed almost every time he touched the ball, and he had trouble with it. Mike Brown hasn’t designed a creative counter-play to the double-team. Then again, sometimes Bynum couldn’t find anyone open because they weren’t, nor were they working hard enough to get open.

One big problem they have right now is Mike Brown’s reluctance to let Ramon Sessions play a bigger role. They got him because he is a creator and he’s a very good one, so why not let him play more minutes (way more that Steve Blake) and let him initiate more of the offense. And just let Kobe be the high-scoring off-guard.

The Lakers have some things going for them in Game Seven. They are playing at home and Metta World Peace is back. The question that looms is whether the Lakers can summon the energy and the will to match Denver’s

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May 9, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) and shortstop Dee Gordon (9) at the end of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers won 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Just when you think they’re down, they get back up again.

The Dodgers pulled out an important win over the Giants on Wednesday, defeating the rivals from the north 6-2 to win the three-game series. The win gives the Boys in Blue a little breathing room going into Thursday’s off day by ending their series losing streak at two.

The game’s beginning did not bode well. Chad Billingsley struggled during his brief outing, giving seven hits and four walks in only four innings of work. Chad threw 85 pitches in his four frames of work, but he managed to limit the damage to the second, when the Giants scored twice on two walks and two singles.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Dodgers struck Tim Lincecum with a vengeance. Andre Ethier led off with a double, and Bobby Abreu followed with a single, putting runners on first and third with nobody out. Juan Uribe followed with a sharp infield single that made third baseman Joaquin Arias trip as he tried to throw to first, letting Ethier score easily. While facing James Loney, Lincecum threw a wild pitch, letting Abreu and Uribe move to third and second, respectively. Loney struck out, but A.J. Ellis walked to load the bases. That’s when Don Mattingly decided to pull Billingsley from the game in favor of Tony Gwynn Jr. With an 0-2 count, Gwynn drove a breaking ball down the right field line, clearing the bases for a three-run triple. It was 4-2 at that point, and the Dodgers never looked back.

The much-maligned bullpen managed to hold the Giants scoreless in relief of Billingsley. Jamey Wright, Ronald Belisario, Josh Lindblom and Kenley Jansen all had scoreless outings and combined to strike out eight batters over five innings.

Meanwhile on offense, Uribe and Ellis both had two hits and two runs scored, Abreu had a double, and Adam Kennedy reached base three times.

Despite succeeding on the field though, the Dodgers had some trouble off it. Juan Rivera landed on the disabled list with what was described as a severe left hamstring strain. Rivera has been battling his injured hamstring since late April, but he aggravated it when sliding into third base in Tuesday’s game. The Dodgers called up Scott Van Slyke, son of former big leaguer Andy Van Slyke, to take Rivera’s place, and he made his debut Wednesday, getting a pinch-hit RBI-single in the sixth inning.

Jerry Hairston Jr. received an MRI before Wednesday’s game to determine the severity of his own hamstring strain. Hairston reagravated his injury in Sunday’s game in Chicago, and he hasn’t made an appearance since then.

Thursday is a day off, but the Dodgers return to Chavez Ravine on Friday to play the Colorado Rockies. Chris Capuano is scheduled to face Jamie Moyer.

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Earlier this season I’d have been all over Kobe for taking 32 shots, with Gasol taking only 11 shots and Bynum a ridiculous eight shots. But the team is different now. The main problem isn’t Kobe’s inability to share equally the scoring and the shot distribution with Pau and Bynum. In fact, that situation has improved if not yet ideal. The problem now is Andrew Bynum.

Enough already with the arrogant and stupid quotes to the press. What’s frightening about Bynum saying that close-out games are “kinda easy” if the team has a good start is that he’s dead wrong. How does a five-year NBA veteran think that close-out games are, or could be, easy, kinda or otherwise. Hello, nothing is easy. Especially playoff games. Thinking any highly competitive contest could even be easy reflects major immaturity (which we knew) as well as a naiveté and remoteness to the real world.

Bynum’s tough to figure. He’s obviously smart, very smart, but he’s also still in high school, shooting spitballs during English class. He actually loafs during a game and admits it. Yeah, I guess I wasn’t into it today. What?

“The best center in the NBA” (the reference is to Bynum here, not JaVale McGee) can be a giant liability. Who knew? His play is alternately dominant and indifferent.

On the pre-game show Shaq said that great centers want the ball, demand the ball. Sometimes Bynum will take a hike rather than fight for position. That’s one reason why he only took eight shots in 39 minutes.

The Lakers, looking—I think “horrible” was the word most heard–lost the first three quarters and the first half of the fourth quarter. Then they made a nice run, closing to within three points, led by perhaps the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.  Kobe had hit four out of five 3s in the fourth quarter alone but, trailing by three, he missed two 3-pointers in the last minute. Sessions had a good look at yet another 3-pointer just before the buzzer but it rimmed out.

The Lakers thus blew a major opportunity to close out this series and get an extra few days rest. They (or the Nuggets) are going to need it against the Thunder. They could get a bit of rest if they can win tomorrow night in Denver but, the way they’ve been playing, probably will have to win it at Staples Center in seven games.

I read that the Nuggets all looked at a video before taking the court for this game. The last thing shown on the video was Bynum and his “kinda easy” soliloquy. Then they ran out and ran over the Lakers.

Now it’s back to Denver where Bynum tires easily.

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