Twenty-one scoreless innings? Yes, that is exactly what the Dodgers pitching staff has held opponents to over the last three games.  Over the last 3 1/2 games, the pitching staff has given up just one run over 34 innings.  With pitching like that, the Dodgers won't have to worry about scoring major runs.  Derek Lowe duplicated Brad Penny's solid start from Tuesday, and did a fancy job with the bat too.  Five runs would be more than enough against the anemic Washington offense.  The Blue Crew is now a season high 10 games over .500 and have sole possesion of 1st place in the N.L. West.  Although a sweep of the last place Nationals will be nothing to cheer about.  It's exactly what they should be doing.  In order to be an elite team in the league they have to beat up on the scrub teams.  Mark Hendrickson will take the hill tonight, he has struggled in his recent outings, but the way Washington is going, and the way the hits are starting to fall for the Dodgers, so long as he can gives 6 innings of work and hold the Nats to 2 or 3 runs, break out the blue brooms!  Let's go blue!

Brad Penny seems to get better and better with each and every start.  And he's not doing it by overpowering hitters either.  He's simply throwing strikes.  Penny has become one of those pitchers, who simply goes out there and gets it done every night.  Perhaps like a Carpenter or an Oswalt.  He only has 43 strikeouts in 70 innings, far off the league lead of Philadelphia's Cole Hamels 86 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings.  But Penny's 7-1 mark is matched only by San Diego's Jake Peavy, and his 2.06 ERA is bested only by Peavy.  And Penny is making it look easy every day on the hill.  Granted Washington is not a powerhouse, but anytime someone's pitching a scoreless game in the 7th, you're going to be in very good shape.  The Dodgers got off on the right foot for this road trip.  A dominant start, and loads of offense.  Derek Lowe's been pitching well in May, but the defense and offense haven't picked him up.  If the lineup can do what they did yesterday, I have a feeling D-Lowe's going to be getting a W also.  Let's go blue!

The Chicago Cubs came to town this weekend and once again the Dodgers took care of business.  The Blue Crew took two of three in the series, coming from behind to win in both victories.  Today's 11-inning win highlighted why the Dodgers are such a strong team.  Pitching, defense, clutch hitting, and depth off the bench.  Randy Wolf delivered another strong outing.  The bullpen was just as good.  Russell Martin and Brady Clark had great defensive plays, and Andre Ethier came up with a clutch pinch-hit, game-tying home run.  The Dodgers ran their record in one-run games up to 11-4.  With their ability to come from behind in close situations, the Dodgers are a formidable foe for anyone in the National League.  The Blue Crew will be put to the test with 10 games on the road coming up, ending with three in San Diego that will most likely decide who will be in first place to begin June.  The way the team is going you have to like their chances.  So long as they go .500 on the trip and can steal a series in DC or Pittsburgh, I have no doubt the Dodgers will be in first place to begin interleague play.  We will discuss the travesty that is interleague scheduling at a later date, for now, let's go blue!!!