As Empire Strikes Back Night ends at Dodger Stadium, order is restored. Luke gets a new right hand. Dusty gets a happy 40th birthday. Han Solo gets...well, skip that one. But the Dodgers get a winning interleague contest, a rare feat of late, to inch back into first place in the NL West for the first time this year, attaining a divisional position that was unfathomable just 12 days ago when we were sitting in the cellar.
Credit Jedi Master Chad Billingsley for his seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball (2 BB, 5 Ks), which started inauspiciously with a 10-pitch at bat to Austin Jackson that led to a leadoff double, and Jackson would eventually come around to score. That first-inning run was the last the Tigers got, though, as Bills settled, Ronald Belisario got a hold and big bad Jonathan Broxton had a three-K ninth inning for his ninth save. The Dodgers got RBI from AJ Ellis and Manny Ramirez, as well as Nick Green (HBP with the bases loaded). Reed Johnson went 3-for-3 with a double.
Meanwhile, we have others to thank for contributing to our first-placeness. Wade LeBlanc got shelled in Seattle (Cliff Lee was also shelled, but the Mariners took the win). Also, Barry Zito still can't beat his former team, so the Giants lost too.
So go dry clean your Jedi robes and put them away until Halloween, or the next Dungeons and Dragons game over at Delino's house. And may the Force be with you.
33 comments:
SEA 15, SD 8 going to the ninth
Milton Bradley (3-for-5, 2R) gets the rest of the night off
Nick Hundley with a leadoff single for the Pads.
It's all over in Seattle...
THE DODGERS ARE TIED FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE NL WEST!!!
Well, that was a fun game...what I saw of it. Luke never did quite settle in. Then in the seventh, we went up to visit some friends in the top deck. That's a loooooonnng trip from Baseline Field 46.
I'm ticked at myself for forgetting the camera. The iPhone is OK, but with no zoom, I couldn't capture the cool SW moments, like Chewie's first pitch.
But hey, an interleague victory! Those can be as rare as a pretty Mynock.
Tied for first place up in dis bish!!!
All told I hope you had a great first game with little Luke, Josh. What a momentous occasion!
Listening to DodgerTalk reminds me of why I stopped. The callers are morons. One guy spent seven minutes asking, "Doesn't this city deserve a dynasty?" Another guy asked if the Dodgers have enough hitting.
The only smart guy so far talked about ESB Night.
Saw the KCAL "news" post-game stuff. They interviewed the Darth Vader who was at the game, and the ID scrawl along the bottom said "Darth Vader" and then under that "Sith Lord" the same way it would say "Dusty Baker" under that "Pasadena resident spooked by recent homicides" or something like that.
How bad do you have to be to let Seattle score 15 on you?
Woohoo!
Man. Watching ESB. My in-thread recap is like 5 minutes into the movie.
Josh S, I'm really envious of you for being at ESB night. AC was there too and should be posting a recap soon...I know he took home some nice memories. Literally.
However, I'm not envious of you hiking to the top deck with a newborn on your back (sort of like Luke carrying Yoda through the Dagobah swamps, I assume).
We rejected Dontrelle Willis out like a weird Dagobah swamp creature spitting out an R2 unit.
Man can you believe we are so close to having the best record in the NL? April seems long ago and I don't want may to end. PLUS we aren't even close to at full strength wait till Andre gets out of Carbonite.
They showed the ESB JibJab video on the Dodgervision, but Manny replaced JMart as Han. Kemp as Lando got a great reaction.
I apparently missed Dustin Hoffman on the Kiss Cam.
Just read through the GT. Some good stuff. Josh, sorry Luke was not in a good mood, but that's still a big deal for it to be the young lad's first game.
Thanks to all for the bday wishes in the GT and throughout the day. I really had a great day and am glad to have celebrated "with" you all. Beer was consumed and crockery was received. So was a Casey Blake t-shirt from the Dodgers store.
Paul, Neeebs, et al who will be at the Yard tomorrow: Hit a brotha up if you get a chance. My stats:
dustybkrdodgr@gmail.com
bakerkm45@gmail.com
626/664-5047
There will be a special guest with Mrs Dusty, Mrs Dusty in Law, and me as well.
I have to go to a funeral at 1PM so will be over at the Ravine hopefully by 3 or so.
Getting to the top deck from the field wasn't too bad, except that I didn't quite know how to do it. One usher (yes, an USHER!) told me to take the escalators up to the club level and then take "any elevator" to the top deck. Only, the one we got on only went to the reserve, so we had to take the stairs the rest of the way. Then we took the stairs alllllll the way back down to the field level to get back to our car.
Oh yeah, NO traffic leaving the stadium. (Lot 6)
A lot of Tiger fans on the field level, too. The loge folks treated them to a "D-Train Sucks" chant.
@Josh re Hoffman
If I read that one way, it makes me think you were that close to smooching with him during then Kiss Cam bit. Unfortunately, that's the image I have to end my evening with.
Paul said "wait till Andre gets out of Carbonite."
HAH.
Bantha Fodder! Started watching ESB after game. Could not stop laughing. Thanx Mr.F you old fossil you.
@dusty
Special guest, like when Lionel Ritchie was on Diff'rent Strokes?
I still want that Lionel ritche head sculpture from his video not to be confused with the Jermaine Jackson head sculpture on facts of life.
There will also be a seance to contact Dana Plato.
All i know is the dodgers easy to watch. They make me want to party all night long.
Who do I have to bribe to have them play Joe Ely's "musta notta gotta" at the ravine tomorrow?
Ah well I will load it on the iPod.
My favorite Lionel Richie memory is watching his video for "Hello", in which he serenades a girl, singing "Hello? Is it me you're looking for?". And the girl is BLIND.
Yeah, that's a classy pickup line.
Paul: remind me what that avatar marker is again? I know you mentioned it earlier but I can't find the reference.
Also, if you type "abatar", the iPhone corrects it to "avatar". Schwarzenegger is thrilled.
I went to Camden Yards in 2007 and they have a very cool open walkway down beyond right field. Everytime a player hits it into that area they commemorate it around the vicinity.
Pretty cool stuff a lot of different players out there. I think Green was the only Dodger. It is a great stadium too bad it is so empty these days.
I wish I could of centered the picture more but it is hard to take a picture, hold a Natty Bo beer and a crab cake at the same time.
Hey, just woke up (slightly hung over) and looked at my sports page.
THE FREAKIN' DODGERS ARE IN FIRST FRAEAKIN' PLACE.
The Pod Rays are no longer renting the space at the top. (reference to a Tommy quote from about 20 years ago).
@DB and Mr. C:
Alas, it was not to be for the Bluebirds.
Too bad for the Bluebirds. But damn that was a good match. Wembley was electric.
@rb, dusty
Agreed, and good luck to the the tangerines next year, too.
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