The Giants and Dodgers are scoreless through 5 1/2 innings. Greg Maddux is being incredibly efficient tonight, using just 51 pitches to get through six innings. Both Maddux and Schmidt allowed just two base runners so far, Greg on two hits and Jason on a hit and a walk. Schmidt’s thrown 77 pitches through five innings.
Update: Still 0-0 after 6 1/2 innings. Maddux is at 60 pitches through seven innings, Schmidt is at 90 through six. Jason’s struck out seven, including Ethier three times.
Update: Classic Vizquel as well. He makes a great diving stop of a Lugo line drive for the second out in the bottom of the seventh.
Update: Maddux throws 68 pitches through eight innings, allows no runs, but in a 0-0 game he’s being lifted for a pinch hitter. A tremendous start by Maddux tonight. The Dodgers need to score here, however, to get Greg the win. Fifty of his 68 pitches were for strikes.
Update: Furcal and Lofton single with one out to put a man in scoring position for Nomar Garciaparra.
Update: Garciaparra strikes out on a pitch just off the plate on the outside. It’s up to Kent.
Update: Kent hits a foul pop for the third out. Schmdit pitches out of trouble again, and Maddux won’t get a decision for his masterful game.
Vintage Maddux indeed.
How can someone who can look so washed at times still be able to be so efficient and good.
He’s like the girl with the curl in her forehead — very very good, or horrid.
Why in the world did Grady Little take out Maddux? He had tossed 8 innings of shutout, 2-hit ball, and thrown just 68 pitches. Was it really worth it to have Loney strike out in Maddux’s place? I don’t get the thought process behind that move.
The thought process is to win the game. Maddux is a bad hitter. Loney has a much higher probability of getting on base.
I suppose it’s true that Loney would have a better chance there, but Maddux was so dominating against the Giants lineup, it would seem to outweigh his poor hitting. I guess we’ll just have to see how it turns out.