Dodgers suddenly find Cards an easy mark, sweeping three-game series with 4-3 victory
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Ah, too bad the Dodgers can’t play the Cardinals every day.
Once the team they couldn’t beat, now their favorite patsies.
The Dodgers defeated the Cardinals again Wednesday, like that’s big news. This time they beat Adam Wainwright and pals, 4-3, to sweep the three-game series.
Not to overstate it as some kind of omen, but the last time the Dodgers swept the Cards in a regular-season series at Dodger Stadium was 1988. Believe that season turned out OK.
These are the same Cardinals the Dodgers swept in last year’s National League Division Series, making it six consecutive victories over the team that entered the series leading the N.L. Central.
This time they got a two-run homer from Manny Ramirez in the first and a two-run single from Blake DeWitt in the third. In three innings, they scored more runs against Wainwright (8-4) than he had allowed in his last 23 innings.
The rest was left to Clayton Kershaw (6-3) and the ever-dependable bullpen, which continued the series frustration for St. Louis’ Big Two: Albert Pujols and Matt Holiday.
Holiday went 1-for-10 in the three-game series, while Pujols -- probably the most feared hitter in baseball -- went 1-for-11.
Kershaw struck out a season-high 10 in seven innings, allowing the three runs on four hits and two walks. Ronald Belisario pitched a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Broxton the ninth to earn his 16th save and 15th in the Dodgers last 32 games.
-- Steve Dilbeck