Hiroki Kuroda nearly pitched a complete game, James Loney hit a two-run homer, and the Dodgers continued their winning ways in Interleague by beating the White Sox, 5-2.
The Dodgers wasted no time in setting the tone in this game. As they've done so frequently already this year, they got on the board in the first. With one down, Rafael Furcal hit a ground rule double. Orlando Hudson followed with a double of his own, and just like that, it was 1-0.
The lead was stretched out to 3-0 in the second. Matt Kemp walked to lead off. Loney then blasted one out to right, his fifth of the year. That's two games in a row with a two-run homer, and he now has three home runs in his last four. The Dodgers will pretty much take any power they can get, so it's good to see.
Paul Konerko connected on a solo shot with one out in the second to make it 3-1. Konerko was once a Dodger, if you recall. He was part of the horrible Jeff Shaw deal. I have no clue how many saves Shaw ended up getting, but he was awful. So ya, I'm still not a big fan of that deal, even if it was 11 years ago.
Anyway, Kuroda was just brilliant after that. After Jermaine Dye's one out single in the fourth, Kuroda didn't give up a hit until the ninth. On the night, he pitched 8 and 2/3 innings, giving up two runs, four hits, nine strikeouts, and most importantly, no walks.
He had a great shot at a complete game after getting the first two hitters to open the ninth, but gave up back-to-back hits for a run. That allowed Jonathan Broxton to get the easy save, K'ing Jim Thome to finish the deal.
The game was still close at 3-1 entering the eighth, but Casey Blake made sure it was stretched out. Mitch Jones doubled and Hudson walked off of reliever Matt Thorton, bringing Octavio Dotel in. Blake greeted him with a two-run single.
By the way, the bases were loaded again in the eighth. Kemp struck out. But the Dodgers won anyway, so I'll let that one go.
The White Sox are only 33-37, including 16-19 at home. So it's not like this was a huge win. But the Dodgers haven't won their in 50 years... literally. It was the 1959 World Series when it last happened. Hence, the long wait is over.
Randy Wolf has given up only one run in his last 11 innings, both Interleague starts (Rangers and A's). Of course, he received no-decisions in both, something he's become very good at. So maybe tonight it will be win #4.
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