So, if you haven't been reading my Dodger Tweets, I thought I'd forcibly make you read them. I mean, I guess not forcibly, you could just ignore this article. It's your choice.
But please don't.
Anyway, I've gone through and cherry-picked what I think are some good Tweets from July. Have at them:
- Anytime Eric Collins feels like saying something like "If you're 3 degrees from Mike Burns, is it 3rd degree burns?" he should just shut up.
- Is it just me or are Todd Coffey and Seth McClung the same person?
- Anytime Eric Collins feels like comparing [Corey] Hart to 1980s singer Corey Hart and referencing "Sunglasses at Night" he should just shut up.
- I'm pretty sure if someone threw up and in and tried to hit [Nelson] Cruz, his chin hair would protect him.
- To me, [Ryan] Franklin's facial hair is the worst choice in facial hair in the last decade.
- ...and that does include Bobby Jenks goatee.
- Sneaky & lame Fringe promotion. If the bald guy from Fringe is there, it better be because giant worms are going to burst out of Brad Hawpe.
- If I were to tell you that about 100 games into the season, [Russell] Martin would have less than 30 RBIs, would your response be: "Is he on the DL?" (Currently 31 RBIs, 104 games into the season)
- Unintentional joke of the day - Steve Lyons on where to put his new book: "In the toilet." Ouch.
- Do you think if another player bumped into Renyel Pinto too hard from behind, he'd explode?
- Over/Under: Juan Pierre finishing the season batting .300.
- I thought Cardinals fans WERE THE GREATEST FANS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! Then why the booing and sarcastic signs?
- Random ESPN Panelist: Cardinals fans are the most knowledgeable in baseball. They're the best! Cue: Cardinals fans holding WoMannyWood sign.
- Sorry, I know we're getting blown out, but I can't help but love when a position player pitches. Did you see the screwball [Mark] Loretta threw?
- I am very afraid Dennys Reyes is about to pop.
- I never realized how many r's George Sherrill had in his name until we traded for him.
- Shocker: Bill Plaschke is angry because of today's announcement of [David] Ortiz and [Manny] Ramirez's past steroid use.
- Connect the name of any player that debuted pre-steroid breakdown a few years ago with steroids. Would any result really be shocking?
- With the way the Pirates are selling these days, I wonder if someday we could get Andy LaRoche and Delwyn Young back.
- You know, I'm kinda hoping the Dodgers do trade for Roy Halladay, just so I can count how many sports writers make a "Doc Hollywood" pun.
Thank you and goodnight.
The Dodgers beat the Rockies to take the first game in the weekend series and win their third game overall.
Chad Billingsley got the win, he's 15-10. Jeff Francis took the loss, he's 4-10.
Chad Billingsley went six innings giving up two runs on three walks and six hits, while striking out three. Pitch count was an issue, as by the time Billingsley was taken out of the game before the 7th inning, he had made 96 pitches. He did do a good job, though, of holding the Rockies to two runs. He gave up a run in each of the first two innings, but held the Rockies scoreless over the next four. Four pitchers from the Dodger bullpen pitched a combined three scoreless innings, giving up only one hit over that span. Cory Wade was among that group. He went 1.1 innings, striking out a batter. Scott Proctor pitched a perfect 9th, striking out one to close out the game.
The Dodger offense heated up in the last third of the game. They had scored only three runs through the first six innings. They then managed to score four runs in the last three. Seven different Dodgers reached base at least twice. Manny Ramírez went 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored. 
Nomar Garciaparra went 1-2 with a walk, a double, and two runs scored. Matt Kemp went 2-5 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. James Loney had a short and sweet game. He came in as a defensive replacement in the 7th innings. He then proceeded to go 2-2 with a double and three RBIs.
The Arizona Diamondbacks won as well today, so with the win, the Dodgers will hold on to the 3.5 game lead. The Dodgers will try to extend their win streak to four tomorrow, starting at 5:05 L.A. time.
Also: With the win, the Dodgers move to five games over .500 (76-71)... Also with the win, the Dodger Magic Number is lowered to 13... Chad Billingsley's win was his 15th, good for first place on the Dodgers... James Loney's three RBIs today brought his team leading total to 83.
Opinion: Good win for the Dodgers, especially from a pitching standpoint. When Chad Billingsley gave up two runs in the first two innings, I started thinking "Uh-oh." For some reason, however good our pitching is, the Rockies somehow seem to be good at hitting us, especially notorious Dodger killers: Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe. Hawpe and Holliday both went 2-4, by the way. But we were able to shut the rest of the team down. The pitching held them to seven hits and three walks, and of course, most importantly: two runs. Props most of all to the bullpen. Three innings, one hit and no runs against a pretty good hitting team. Also, I have to give props to the hitting. After coming out kind of slow, only two runs through the first three innings, then getting a third go-ahead run in the 4th. More importantly, though, instead of letting the Rockies stay in the game and attempt some kind of late-inning comeback, they put the final nail in the coffin by scoring four runs in the final three innings. Anyway, good job on both end of the Dodgers today. Let's keep it up into tomorrow. Magic Number is 13 and shrinking...
