Kemp Joins 30-30 Club; Second Player from the Dodgers to Accomplish That

Matt Kemp crushed a long home run to center field in the bottom of the seventh innings of the 6-1 win on Friday over the Rockies, making him just the second Dodger to arrive 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, and the quickest to do so.

Kemp links Raul Mondesi, who accomplished the feat in 1997 and ’99. He performed so on a 3-1 pitch off lefty reliever Matt Reynolds.

As Dodger Stadium followers chanted “MVP”, Kemp got three pitches and fouled one off before he crushed the fastball 427 feet to directly center field.

Kemp said, “I’ve always thought I could do it.  I can run. I can put a little bit of power in it. I just had to put it all together at the same time. It’s pretty special.”

Kemp is striking .323 with 98 RBIs to go together with his 30 homers and 33 steals.  He is in the peak four in the league in the entire three categories.

Kemp said after the game, “I’m just happy I got to do it here in L.A. The fans have always supported me. We still got a long way to go.”

No Dodger has ever reached the 40-40 club, and when Kemp was inquired concerning the mark, he replied, “Maybe one day.”

Manager Don Mattingly admired Kemp both before and after the game, particularly noting how much leadership role of Kemp has destined to the team.

Mattingly said, “It’s been a tremendous season for him in all areas of his game — leadership and the whole thing.  It’s been a joy really to have Matt playing this way, and his leadership in the dugout. The presence he brings, but not only that, this guy gets ready to play every day and plays hard every day.”

In 2009 the last Major Leaguer to arrive the 30-30 club was Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler.

Stephen Strasburg Goes For First Rehab Start

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was on target and up to speed Sunday in his first rehab since having Tommy John surgery.

Twenty five out of 31 pitches Strasburg pitched were hits, his fastball was in the upper 90s, and he struck four while allowing one run over 1 2/3 innings for Class A Hagerstown.

Strasburg said, adding that his delivery felt good than it did pre-injury, “It seemed like once they said, ‘Play ball,’ I kind of just got that feeling back real quick.  It honestly does – I get on top of the ball a lot better. I’m able to drive the ball down into the zone a lot better, a lot more efficiency.”

“Before, I just wasn’t in as good a shape. … I think the biggest reason I broke down is because I just got tired. I wasn’t necessarily prepared for a full season.”

The right hander had not encountered a batter in a live game situation since grabbing his right wrist following a pitch to Domonic Brown of the Phillies on August 21.  Strasburg had reconstructive elbow surgery on September 3, finishing his rookie season with a 5-3 record and 2.91 ERA in 12 starts.

He started throwing once more in February, off a mound in May, then in simulated games last month.  Strasburg expects making one more start in the minors Friday.  His objective is to go back to the Nationals in September.

Drew Stubbs Went for First-pitch Homer in the Braves’ Night

When Drew Stubbs got the fastball he expected, he went the opposite way for a leadoff homer in the ninth inning Sunday night, sending the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 success over the Atlanta Braves and their first set of back-to-back triumphs in over five weeks.

Stubbs expected Scott Linebrink with 3-2 to try to get ahead in the count with his first pitch.

Stubbs said, after the next game-ending homer of his career, “I went up there looking for a fastball out over the plate.  He gave it to me, I put a good swing on it, and the rest is history.”

A small recent history comes.  The defending National League Central champions had not won successive games from June 14-15, when they finished a three-game sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Manager Dusty Baker said, “It’s been even longer since we’ve won three in a row, so we might as well win three in a row.”

The incapability of Reds to put together even the most humble winning streak has trapped them in fourth place.

Stubbs said, “We know we haven’t been playing our best baseball, but we definitely have the pieces of the puzzle to make a run.  It’s going to be a dogfight.”

Stubbs’ homer off Linebrink with 3-2 finished the Reds’ all-power night. Brandon Philips strike a two-run homer and Miguel Cairo included a solo shot off rookie Brandon Beachy, providing Cincinnati a 3-0 lead.

Francisco Cordero fanned pinch-striker Brooks Conrad with a runner on third to finish the ninth of Braves.

Reds starter Dontrelle Willis could not hold a 3-2 lead in the seventh, when Julio Lugo tied it with a pinch-hit single.  The left-hander was attempting to obtain his first huge league win since June 5 in the previous season.

Jon Lester Gets Left Lat Injury

Jon Lester, Red Sox starter, strained his left lat muscle Tuesday night, although says he is confident he would not have to miss over one start.

The Red Sox could not afford to have one more starter go down, specially Lester, who 10-4 with a 3.31 ERA this season.

Lester, who left after pitching our hitless innings in the Red Sox’s 3-2 victory over Toronto at Fenway Park, said, “I’m not concerned.  I should be fine. I don’t think it’s a long-term issue.”

Lester will experience widespread examinations that will expose how long he will be out.  Lester said his whole left lat muscle was sore throughout the whole fourth inning.

Lester said, “I never would have come out of the game if it wasn’t significant. There was no point going out there and pushing it now.”

The Red Sox lived through the early departure of Lester by yiealding just two hits until the eighth inning.  The Blue Jays scored two runs in the ninth of two-run homer of Jose Bautista, and won when Darnel McDonald, left fielder threw out Edwin Encarnacion at the plate.

McDonald said, “I just grabbed it, and tried to throw a four-seam fastball to [catcher] Jason [Varitek].”

Varitek blocked the plate and tagged out Encarnacion, even though John Farrell, Blue Jays manager persisted he missed the tag.

Francona says, “I think Tek deserves a save.  He’s as good as that as there is in the game.”