Los Angeles Dodgers Notes, Quotes 2009-04-28
--LHP Eric Milton is willing to give the Dodgers at least a couple more weeks before exercising the out clause in his minor league contract, general manager Ned Colletti said Monday. Milton could have left when he didn't make the team out of spring training, but he agreed to go to Triple-A Albuquerque and see what happened. Milton has pitched a combined 12 shutout innings in his last two starts for the Isotopes and could be an option for the Dodgers' starting rotation in the near future.
--RHP Ramon Troncoso came up big for the Dodgers on Saturday night, when their bullpen was basically shot because Jonathan Broxton had gotten eight outs in the previous two games and Hong-Chih Kuo still can't pitch on back-to-back days. With James McDonald gone after five innings, Troncoso pitched four shutout innings for the Dodgers, allowing only one baserunner on an infield single that Rafael Furcal double-clutched before throwing to first. Troncoso was credited with his first career save, preserving McDonald's first career win. --2B Orlando Hudson failed to set a career high for length of a hitting streak. After tying his previous best by hitting in 11 consecutive games, Hudson went 0-for-4 with a walk on Sunday. During the streak, he hit .444 (20 for 45).
BY THE NUMBERS: .480 -- Combined batting average for Dodgers reserves Brad Ausmus and Mark Loretta, two veteran players and former everyday guys on the down sides of their careers who have accepted bench roles in their first season with the club. Ausmus, who turned 40 a couple of weeks ago, is hitting .417 (5-for-12). Loretta, 37, is hitting .538 (7-for-13), including five hits in seven pinch-hit at-bats.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "A good night for the old guys. It was past our bedtime, and we had already missed the buffet." -- Dodgers C Brad Ausmus, after delivering two critical hits in the late innings of a three-hour, 45-minute marathon on Friday night at Colorado. Ausmus had scored one tie-breaking run when he was driven in by fellow "old guy" Mark Loretta in the eighth inning, and Ausmus drove in another tie-breaking run in the ninth that ultimately held up as the winner.
Author: Fox Sports
Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com
Added: April 28, 2009