Benches

Reporting from Peoria, Ariz. ? Pitching inside is something Jonathan Broxton admits he has avoided for most of his career. "You miss just a little bit, the ball goes a long way," Broxton said. The Dodgers' 5-4 victory over the San Diego Padres introduced him to another potential consequence, as his fifth-inning plunking of Ryan Ludwick started a sequence that ended with both benches clearing. "Mine wasn't on purpose," Broxton said. L.A. Times Dodgers blog No matter.

Like many of his teammates, Clippers guard Nick Young has been coping with an injury throughout his team's playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs. His malady hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as Chris Paul's strained right hip flexor or Blake Griffin's sprained left knee, but regardless, Young's tooth really hurts. The Reseda Cleveland High School and USC alum has been putting off dental surgery to extract a wisdom tooth so he could keep playing in the playoffs. After joining the Clippers in March, Young's scoring spark off the bench has quickly become indispensable.

New city-installed benches and planters intended to beautify Hollywood Boulevard are having the opposite effect by serving as magnets for bums, winos and other street people, according to boulevard merchants. Many of the benches are covered with graffiti, inhabited frequently by seedy-looking people and, rather than attracting customers, are driving them away, they say. "We are trying to get the city to remove the benches," said Mitch G. Siegel, manager of Book City at 6627 Hollywood Blvd.

SAN ANTONIO — With Chris Paul clearly slowed by injury, another little point guard stepped in Tuesday to lead the way. With next to no playoff experience, Eric Bledsoe was thrust into the limelight in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs and responded with a 23-point performance that matched his career high. Bledsoe, though, was about the only bright spot for the Clippers, who were blown away in the second half and fell to the Spurs, 108-92, to open the Western Conference semifinals.

As grief-torn friends and relatives of Tony Ferris gather today for his funeral, hundreds of potential public hazards such as the free-standing concrete bench that toppled and crushed the popular 8-year-old Monday are still scattered across parks and bus stops in Orange County, an informal survey of cities and agencies has found. In some localities, the tragedy and calls from worried parents prompted officials to send out crews to inspect benches and determine whether they are safe.

Tempers flared today at AT&T Park, where the benches emptied in the fifth inning of the final game of the three-game series between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. The game took an unfriendly turn when Freddy Sanchez singled to center field to drive in Eugenio Velez for the first run of the game. Matt Kemp's throw to the plate sailed over the head of catcher Russell Martin, who was blindsided and upended by a sliding Velez. The next pitch delivered by James McDonald nearly hit Pablo Sandoval, who started walking toward the mound but was intercepted by home plate umpire Paul Emmel.

More than a dozen cities throughout Orange County have had inspectors examine concrete benches in their communities since an 800-pound concrete bench fatally crushed Anthony Ferris of Laguna Niguel on Monday. "We're out there making sure there's no chance of tipping," said Keith Rattay, Mission Viejo maintenance services manager. "We don't want to fall victim to anything like Laguna Niguel. If there's any chance the concrete benches are unsafe or can be moved, we'll get rid of them this week."

The city is accepting design entries for its fifth annual Artist Designed Bench Competition. The winning bench, which should be able to seat three to six people, will be placed at Forest Avenue and Glenneyre Street. Designs must be submitted on a 1-inch by 1-foot scale created with simulated finish materials. The Arts Commission will select a final design and award $9,500 to the winner for construction costs. Last year's winning bench, "Trio," designed by local artist Jorg R.

Friends and family of Riley Morgan will gather at Seaview Park today to dedicate a park bench in her honor nearly a year and a half after her death. Tracy Morgan said her 4-year-old daughter died in March 1995, more than two years after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. After her death, neighbors began raising money to buy a bench to put in the park where the child used to play. With the $1,000 they collected, they have purchased a bench and a bronze plaque.

By next summer in Manhattan Beach, you might just be able to hang ten while sitting down. The Manhattan Beach City Council will consider a proposal in August to install 10 benches, made in the likeness of surfboards, around the oceanside community. With armrests shaped like volleyballs, the pastel-colored benches will be made from synthetic concrete and shaped as either standard longboards or the shorter body boards.

SAN ANTONIO -- Chris Paul doesn't want to add any more pressure to the Clippers' bench just because they will be facing a San Antonio Spurs bench that is one of the best in the NBA. The Clippers' bench bailed out them at Memphis in Game 7 of the first-round series. The Clippers go 10 deep off their bench, the Spurs are just as deep, playing with 10 quality players. And San Antonio has Manu Ginobili , one of the best sixth men in the game. "It's very important for our bench to play well, but at the same time, it's up to us starters to get off to a good start," Paul said.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - It took less than a minute for the Clippers' bench to step in and save the team's season. In the fourth quarter of his team's most important game, Coach Vinny Del Negro chose to open exclusively with his second unit. Just 52 seconds later it paid off as center Kenyon Martin and guard Nick Young made back-to-back jumpers to turn the Clippers' one-point deficit into a four-point lead. The Memphis Grizzlies immediately took a time out, and while they dawdled back to the huddle, the Clippers flew through the air, chest-bumping each other in the middle of a now-silent arena.

Falling down on the job was a moment Steve Blake may never forget. In a good way. The Lakers were teetering on the brink of an extended off-season Saturday night when their backup point guard took a pass from Kobe Bryant in the corner midway through the fourth quarter. Blake spotted up and released the ball before absorbing a body bump from Denver Nuggets counterpart Andre Miller that sent Blake crashing to the Staples Center court. But the ball continued on a steady and true trajectory, falling through the net to give the Lakers a five-point lead in their eventual 96-87 triumph in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.

MINNEAPOLIS — Peter Bourjos' game-changing speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense don't do the Angels any good on the bench, but that's where those tools were again Wednesday night. The center fielder was not in the lineup for the ninth time in 11 games, his playing time greatly reduced by the April 27 promotion of Mike Trout from triple A, but his attitude remaining upbeat and optimistic. "It will all work out one way or another," said Bourjos, who is batting .192 with a .259 on-base percentage.

  MINNEAPOLIS - Peter Bourjos' game-changing speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense aren't doing the Angels much good on the bench, but that's where those tools will be again for Wednesday night's series finale against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The center fielder was not in the lineup for the ninth time in 11 games, his playing time greatly affected by the April 27 promotion of outfielder and leadoff batter Mike Trout, but his attitude remains upbeat and optimistic.

Dodgers first baseman James Loney is off to another slow start. Loney went into Tuesday's game batting .198 and was hitless in his last 13 at-bats. Manager Don Mattingly said that if Loney doesn't start hitting, his playing time could be cut. "To me, we're getting to the point where it's just a production thing," Mattingly said. "You have to throw up some numbers out there somehow, some way. ... We have to find production from him. It's kind of that simple now. " The Dodgers have more lineup flexibility than they did a year ago, when Mattingly had no other viable options at first base outside of Loney.

Although the waits may be long and the weather hot, bus riders can at least look forward to more comfortable benches, officials said Wednesday. New plastic benches will replace the city's 6,700 wood and concrete ones, said Tonya Durrell, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Public Works. Since February, workers have been installing the new benches. Fifty percent of the material in the new benches is recyclable, officials said.

Weeks after the city threatened to ban privately owned bus benches, the City Council tonight will consider a plan that will allow one bench company to keep its seats on city sidewalks. Under the agreement, bench companies would submit bids for the right to keep their advertising-laden seats in place. The company that agreed to pay the city the most money and keep its benches the cleanest would be allowed to stay put. Companies not chosen would have to remove their benches.

DENVER - Andrew Bynum enthusiastically greeted Jordan Hill during a timeout late in the fourth quarter, venturing near half court to embrace him. Never mind that Hill had replaced Bynum for the previous 7 minutes 17 seconds of a playoff game. Everyone on the Lakers is rooting for the reserve forward who has become a focal point of their success. Hill had 12 points and 11 rebounds in only 23 minutes during the Lakers' 92-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday at the Pepsi Center.

The Angels figured Albert Pujols would have the bat taken out of his hands this season by opponents looking to intentionally walk or pitch around the slugger, not by their own manager. But with the first baseman mired in the worst slump of what many consider a Hall of Fame career, Mike Scioscia benched Pujols on Saturday night against the Blue Jays, the first time in 28 games he didn't write Pujols' name into the third spot. Pujols, hitting .194 with no home runs and five runs batted in, did not participate in batting practice.