Los Angeles Dodgers Notes, Quotes 2009-04-14

--2B Orlando Hudson beat out an infield single in the first inning, hit a solo homer in the third, drove an RBI double to the wall in left-center in the fourth and tripled to lead off the sixth. It marked the first time a Dodgers player hit for the cycle since Wes Parker did it in a 10-inning game against the Mets at Shea Stadium on May 7, 1970. It was the first cycle ever by a Dodgers player at Dodger Stadium.

--CF Matt Kemp went 1-for-4 with a walk and has now hit safely in all eight of the Dodgers' games this season, hitting .357 (10-for-28) overall. Dodgers manager Joe Torre said before the game that Kemp has been much more coachable this season and that his willingness and ability to hit the ball to the middle part of the field have been a big part of his resurgence. Kemp is still striking out too often, though, having done so in nine of his 31 plate appearances.

BY THE NUMBERS: 23 1/3 -- Innings pitched by the Dodgers' bullpen on the club's season-opening, seven-game trip to San Diego and Arizona, a stretch during which not one Dodgers starter survived past the sixth inning until Randy Wolf went seven-plus on Sunday. The primary culprit was early-inning pitch counts and walks, especially by the young trio of Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald at the back end. They combined to walk 11 batters in 13 1/3 innings.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Our offense was always going to come around. It just took a little while. We still have a long way to go. Mr. (Joe) Torre has seen this type of thing before, because he has been around this game a long time, since before I was born. Since before my parents were born, in fact, because my parents are only 49 and 51." -- 2B Orlando Hudson after the team's struggling lineup finally broke out for 11 runs on Saturday night at Arizona.

Author: Fox Sports

Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com

Added: April 14, 2009