The Dodgers jumped all over Kyle Kendrick and the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd inning to post a 6 spot. Though the game got interesting towards the end, the Dodgers held on to win, 8-6.
This was kind of a weird game, and one that gave me many mixed emotions. On one hand, you can see how the additions of Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake have paid off. In the 3rd, Manny doubled home Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Blake hit a 2-run bomb to center, and it was 6-0.
But there's the other side of the game, and it's the Dodgers inability to put the nail in the coffin. Yes, I'm being picky, but I think I have good reason to be. The Phills scored 5 runs in innings 6-9, and after Derek Lowe left in the 7th, the bullpen was shaky. Chan Ho Park struggled, giving up a run on 2 hits in getting the last 2 outs of the 7th. Joe Beimel got Chase Utley and Ryan Howard out, then walked Pat Burrell to get yanked.
Jonathan Broxton blew Jayson Werth away with 3 fastballs to close the 8th. In the 9th, everything nearly feel apart, and it's a good thing the Dodgers had a 4 run lead. A walk and single opened the inning before the next 2 guys were retired. Needing that last out was tough, as Shane Victorino singled to load the bases, and Utley hit a bloop 2-run single to get within 2.
Howard could have really sent LA into a tailspin, but he grounded out to end the game.
While the bullpen wasn't very good, what really hurt the Dodgers was the fact that when the bases were loaded, they sucked. 4th inning: James Loney and Russell Martin K'd. 6th inning: Blake K'd and Angel Berroa grounded into a fielder's choice. 8th inning: Blake forces Manny out at home on a grounder and Berroa grounds into a DP. By my count, that's 6 at-bats completely wasted. Imagine what the score could have been had they gotten just 1 hit in those situations? Yikes.
The game did provide some comic relief, from, you guessed it, Manny Ramirez. To start the 9th, he was nowhere to be found. The game was delayed for a bit, until he finally came running out of the tunnel and onto the field. I guess he thought he was being pulled for a defensive replacement, but Andruw Jones is hurt, and it's not like Juan Pierre is an upgrade.
I can't resist this one... Manny was being Manny.
Tonight's game features a fantastic pitching matchup, as Clayton Kershaw takes on Cole Hamels. That's going to be fun to watch. The Diamondbacks travel to Colorado while holding a 1 game lead in the NL West.
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