Well. That ball was crushed. Cespedes destroyed that pitch. This was another game that, despite a great performance by a pitcher (in this case 2011 NL Cy Young Winner Clayton Kershaw), the Dodgers’ offense just could not be found. At this point, I’m starting to get a bit worried because it’s been a long while since we’ve seen anything all that impressive or exciting.

Part of the problem, people are quick to point out, is that Don Mattingly is quick to bunt. If a Dodger squares up to bunt, twitter and message boards light up with groans, gnashing of teeth, and choice swear words. This time, Dee Gordon laid down a fantastic bunt in the top of the ninth. The only problem is that Inge made a great play and Matt Treanor is really, very slow. No pinch runner? Well, the bench is also really, very slow (also that whole unwilling to switch out catchers thing).

The biggest problem was really Uribe’s defensive gaffe in the bottom of the 9th. He should not have come off 3rd base because now there is no one to throw to. It was the right play but the wrong move by Uribe.

Interleague play continues (joy) in Anaheim (which is, you know, not Los Angeles) against the red hot Angels.

Man, the Kempless Dodgers are not fun to watch. Even the most harmless of AL West teams (THE AL WEST) are giving the Dodgers the business. Ok, I get it, the Dodgers have the best record in the National League (the Texas took the distinction of “best record in the major leagues” with this loss). But at some point, we, the fans, need a reality check. When we were going down the line thinking, “How will this team perform? What are our expectations?” They were emphatically NOT “The 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers will have the best record in the National League for the first half of the season.” No, they were “I bet you this team goes about .500 again, because well, what’s improved?”

So, I don’t know. On one hand, losses like this are frustrating. On the other, the Dodgers are still doing really, very well without their best player and arguably the best player in the major leagues. Tony Gwynn Jr. (and Elian Herrera) have done a great job filling Kemp’s shoes in center field, though I am getting the distinct impression that people think TGJr should be doing more, somehow. Tonight, he went to field a hard hit ball and it bounced off his glove. The gnashing of teeth covered up the fact that both he and LF Tony Abreu got to the ball at the same time. Tony Abreu isn’t very fast. If Tony Gwynn Jr. is getting to a ball that is in left field, there are bigger problems.

So maybe Matt Kemp’s hamstring can do me a solid and get well soon. Please?

So, Clayton Kershaw hasn’t really passed the eyeball test this year in dominance. Sure, he seems to have the same stuff as last year, but he doesn’t seem to be getting the job done in the same way. Frankly, it’s kind of annoying, because the Giants continue to creep up (seriously, is there a team more annoying in the NL? No, I don’t think so.).

Thankfully for Kersh, some other pitcher (Matt Thornton) was less than effective and allowed James “I am the slowest runner on Earth” Loney to score from third on a wild pitch.

The hero of the day, though, was clearly career minor leaguer Elian Herrera. Herrera continues to produce and honestly, I would be happy if he remained on the roster as Mark Ellis’ replacement. In fact, I would be even happier if say, Adam Kennedy got DFA’d and Herrera got to stick around. I’m not the biggest believer in the sudden appearance of the ability to produce in career minor leaguers, but then again, AJ Ellis exists, so maybe the Dodgers just have the corner on the “we thought you were going to be in AAA forever, but apparently you’re pretty good” market.

I still eagerly await the return of Matt “It’s Not Even His Birthday” Kemp, but this Dodgers squad continues to somehow produce despite his absence and Andre Ethier not doing much, either.

I’m not the biggest fan of interleague mostly because I think it can be really detrimental to the standings that actually matter. You know, divisional standings? I’d rather have more games against the Giants or the Padres or even the Rockies. I understand the appeal of the Freeway Series, sure – two SoCal teams in the Los Angeles area (kind of) that both have “Los Angeles” in their name. Fine, I get it. But Anaheim is to Los Angeles like New Jersey is to New York. I’m actually reminded of Ted Mosby’s opinion of New Jersey.

Anyway, this game was something of an emotional roller coaster ride. Both teams nibbled away at each other, though admittedly it was mostly the Dodgers nibbling. See, the Dodgers scored their runs but then they also turned around and gnawed at themselves and made some boneheaded defensive plays.

I don’t know why Don Mattingly continues to start Adam Kennedy. I suppose he has to, and any decision regarding Kennedy’s status on the team will come from over Mattingly’s head (I’m looking at you, Colletti). While I don’t see Kennedy as a harbinger of the apocalypse as some Dodgers fans I associate with seem to, I do agree that is may be past time to find another option from the farm system while Mark Ellis (fingers crossed) recovers.

Anyway, in the bottom of the 8th, Dee Gordon got things started with a single. He then stole (and was called safe on a disputed call) on a 2-0 count (which my boyfriend thought was dumb, since there were 2 outs). AJ Ellis, King of the Walks, walked. Andre Ethier, bless his new fatty fat wallet, smoked a single into right field. And THEN, Juan Rivera, who has recently returned from the disabled list and generally speaking, has not inspired too much confidence with his performance, hit the ball into the Pavilion.

And just like that, 5-2 Dodgers.

Jerome Williams, oddly enough, was not lifted when Dre came up to bat. He was not lifted when Rivera came up to bat. He looked crushed in the dugout.

Mike Trout, who is really really really good at baseball, was 0-4 tonight.

The Dodgers are first to 40 wins.