Right now, everything is clicking in LA.
The Dodgers tacked on a few runs early, then used a 7-run 5th inning to crush the Rockies, 14-2. That win gives the Dodgers a 10-3 record, 6 straight at home, 8 straight overall, and sole possession of first place.
During the homestand, they've outscored the Giants and Rockies 50-17, had 77 hits, 11 home runs, 31 walks, and hit for a .367 AVG.
I'd say it's good to be a Dodger fan right now.
It was 2-0 after the 1st thanks to RBI doubles by Orlando Hudson and Andre Ethier. Hudson singled home another run in the 2nd, and Rafael Furcal doubled one home in the 4th, and it was 4-0.
After catching a long fly ball at the wall with 2 on and 2 out in the 5th, Matt Kemp came right up in the bottom of the frame and hit a grand slam to blow the game wide open. Hudson and Ethier again had RBI's, and young Scott Elbert had an RBI double. 2 days in a row where a relief pitcher drives in a run (Will Ohman yesterday). Yes, I'd say it's all going well at the plate right now.
Kemp eventually added another homer to complete his amazing day. With the exception of James McDonald, every Dodger starter had a hit, and everyone but James Loney had at least 2. Everyone either scored a run or drove one in, so it was another complete team effort by the Dodgers. True, Kemp hit 2 out of the yard, but they still got most of their runs on clutch singles and doubles.
McDonald got the start today, and came out looking and feeling much better than his last one. He went 4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. I think the only disappointing thing is the 3 walks, but this was still much better than the Arizona debacle. Had he not walked 2 to start the 5th, he could have easily gotten the win.
Instead, that win belongs to Elbert, making his first appearance of the year. He gave up solo shots to Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta, but those were when the game was already taken care of. Ramon Troncoso pitched 2 flawless innings to atone for yesterday's shaky outing.
As I said before, it's all going well for the Dodgers. True, they're a good team and are the favorites to win the NL West. Are they this good? This pace is hard to keep up, but who knows. I don't think we can expect them to pound teams in the ground like this, but with a healthy lineup, they can be really tough. Inevitably, there's going to be some injuries that hit just like every team, so they'll have to deal with bumps in the road. But this certainly is a lot of fun to watch.
The Dodgers will now hit the road for 9 straight games, following on off day on Monday. It's 3 games each in Houston, Colorado, and San Francisco. It's always good to prove you can win on the road, so getting 5 wins (if not more) is a good goal. Clayton Kershaw gets the start Tuesday, and he's coming off a 13 K performance. He'll need that in the homer-friendly Minute Maid Park.
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