Bad Ohman!

Frustrating loss, though the Blue made a game of it. They didn't have the fight that they did last night. Carlos Zambrano's slider had the break one usually sees only in video games. Looks like the real Carlos Zambrano stood up and took the mound for the first time this season. Martin looked completely over-matched, but did manage a walk. Chad Billingsley pitching well in relief combined with another so-so Hendrickson performance has me thinking Chad may have won a rotation spot. Betemit hit a bomb that served as a whimper of protest and at least prevents the indignity of a shutout. They built up a little momentum which was killed with Kent's strikeout to Ohman. You can certainly question Little's move by pinch-hitting Kent for a guy that has a 4-6 record against the cubs' reliever. I did. But Kent is, as Vin would say, 'the butter and egg man'. He is the "clutch" guy, if you believe in that kind of stuff. Also, 6 at-bats is a small sample size, even for pitcher vs. hitter scenarios. So I'm not going to bemoan Little rolling the dice with taking a shot with the biggest gun in his holster, because that's what Kent was sitting on the bench at that particular time. It was entertaining to see Andy LaRoche log his first big league inning in left field. I imagined him pleading to himself for no balls to be hit his way. Better luck next time, Dodgers.

According to the Press Enterprise, Wilson Valdez cleared waivers and was sent outright to Vegas.