Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup Needs To Step Up

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

In the past three weeks, the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers haven't been playing so hot. With a record of 8-13 in the last 21 days, the Dodgers have not only suffered from the lack of a true fifth starter in the rotation or bullpen support, but also, and perhaps more significantly, the lack of productive run support with runners in scoring position.

In Friday's 4-1 loss to the Diamondbacks in the opener of this series, Matt Kemp went 2-for-3 with a home run and Manny Ramirez recorded three hits for the Dodgers, who got a shaky performance from starter Clayton Kershaw.

An example of the lack of run-support: In Arizona, James Loney, for the first time in his career, failed to pick up a hit in Arizona, breaking a streak of 19 games. In 20 career games at Chase Field, Loney is hitting .420/.453/.630.

Inside Chavez Ravine, Dodgers fans watched the Dodger loss against the Diamondbacks on DodgerVision. Enjoying themselves after the game Friday night, the fans had the opportunity to play catch on the field and watch "Field of Dreams" before sleeping in their sleeping bags under the stars and waking up to a warm breakfast.

Entering tonight's game, the Dodgers now have dropped two straight and six of their last nine games. Will Manny and the Dodgers have the run support they desperately need to win the NL west and move forward into the playoffs?

What has to happen is Dodger players like Russell Martin, Casey Blake, James Loney, and Orlando Hundson need to start contributing again and set up runners in scoring position. They need to make the lineup dangerous again as it was prior to the All-Star break. And not leave the hitting only up to Manny and Kemp to put the Dodgers in front.

Tonight, Joe Torre will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound and he has won two straight starts. Kuroda, whose last six trips to the hill have resulted in wins for LA, is coming off an Aug. 10 victory over San Francisco in which he yielded one run in 6.1 innings of a 4-2 triumph.

Kuroda is 5-5 with a 4.21 earned run average in 15 games (14 starts) this season and will try for a measure of revenge against Arizona. In a 3-2 loss to the D-Backs on June 1, the righty permitted a pair of runs in five innings. He is 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA in five career appearances against Arizona.

According to the LA Times, Russell Martin said: "Don’t count us out even though our numbers have declined in recent weeks." Chad Billingsley will start in the rotation against the Cardinals next week at home.

Other players said they're ready to contribute to getting back on track, like Will Ohman, who should come off the disabled list and be ready to return sometime in early September.

On a good note, the Dodgers' fielding is spectacular. They have gone six games and 59.1 innings without an error.

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