...of joy? Sadness? Nerves? All of the above?
We were treated/subjected to an extra-innings extravaganza today, as Jonathan Broxton couldn't protect a two-run lead in the ninth inning but Russell Martin (3-for-4) and Matt Kemp (3-for-5) showed they eschewed a greasy breakfast in favor of Wheaties this morning, each doubling in a winning run in the tenth. Ramon Troncoso struck out Ryan Howard to end the game in earning the save, while James Loney hit his second home run and Casey Blake (2-for-4) added an RBI.
The Dodgers take the series against the Phillies, exacting a teensy-weensy amount of revenge for last year's playoff loss. Since losing Manny, the Dodgers have played both Cole Hamels and Tim Lincecum to no-decisions, and the team is averaging 5.71 runs scored per game. Mood heading into Florida: hopeful.
13 comments:
H U G E victory for the good guys today.
2-1 on the road trip
2-1 vs the NL East
3-3 vs the non-NL West
3-4 since Manny's suspension
Let's go bone some fish.
Yep, great finish. Lots of heart by the back end of the line-up!
I think Karina said it on the GT; this team has heart. Unfortunately, they failed to show it in the first game of the series.
With the Wolf/Bills combo in back to back games, we should be tough fine until the offense learns to manufacture more runs on 11-15 hit games. Now Bills needs to teach Kershaw how to finish batters when you start them 0-2. . .Brox could use that lesson as well.
Maybe it's just me, and I hate to shit on a former Dodger, but I think keeping Rick Honeycutt after last season wasn't the best choice by Torre.
In my mind, they should be making offers to Greg Maddox to be involved somehow. The young pitchers really seemed to benefit from his knowledge both times he was in Dodger blue and he seemed to enjoy the role of teacher as well.
The bats sure improverd with Donny Baseball taking over batting; I'm sure Maddox would elevate the pitching as well.
I thought Maddux was involved with the Padres (or is it Cubs) organization post-retirement.
Padres beat us to it; Maddux was a spring training instructor for them.
Interesting note:
Top half of our lineup was 3 for 18, while the Bottom half of our lineup was 9 for 17.
Just think what could happen if we start going on all cylinders.
Then again, we also have the capability to have a different set of heroes on any given night/day.
I agree that Maddux should, if he wants to, be a pitching coach somewhere. His influence on all kinds of pitchers, both contact guys and power pitchers, is undeniable.
That said, shall we declare Russell "Quebec Mode" Martin's slump over? 3 hits, a walk and an ultra-clutch 2 out RBI double smashed.
Imagine my horror when I get into the car to go to lunch, turn on the radio, and hear that Jonathan Broxton has Carlos Ruiz down 0-2 with two on and the Dodgers up by two, only to have Ruiz double and tie the game. Glad they pulled this one out.
Milton will save us now!
I am home now from the game - had seats in row 1 right behind the good guys' dugout and it was quite an experience! Got Clayton Kershaw's autograph and watched Randy Wolf gab to anybody who would stand at the rail with him. Stults and Kershaw seemed to talk the most, loony lefties sticking together i suppose. The 9th was painful but Matty had a few choice words for a clown-ass phillies fan (one of many) when coming back to the dugout after that. I think he may have had a little extra inspiration in the 10th. Team chemistry seems good, everybody talked to everybody, even Juan Pierre. Casey seemed to have a nice conversation with him about that at bat late when he hit it to deep center. I think I almost saw Juanny crack a smile.
Sweet seats and sweet recap, FB! I hope you didn't get pummeled by the local fans. What did Kemp say to the fan?
no pummeling, luckily, although a few were deserving. Security at Citizens Bank Park seems to disappear after the 7th so the slapdicks sneak down to better seats. A middle-aged Dodger fan who was sitting right behind me got an earful from a particularly douchey fan. The guy literally screamed in the guy's ear after Ruiz's double. The Dodger fan had been doing nothing more than respectfully cheering for the Dodgers. I think he chose that guy instead of me, as I am a bigger guy. To the credit of park security, a guy came down to us in the 5th inning and asked us if everyone in the area had been treating us ok. I am guessing it's been a problem in the past. I don't know where they were in the later innings though - probably working the exit gates and collecting all-star ballots
There were other guys who came down to yell at the boys as they came back to the victorious dugout. They screamed clever things like "where's Manny?!" and "well we still beat you in the playoffs last year!," and then had the nerve to ask for a baseball. fun stuff!
As for Matt, he didnt say it very loudly (and nobody in the crowd seemed to notice), but if you were watching him, there was no mistaking when he said. It was a combination of these words, some used multiple times: fat shut fuck you the up.
We got some good pics too, if you are interested
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