The Dodgers put together a complete team effort on Wednesday afternoon as they defeated the Giants, 8-2. The win gave the Dodgers a three-game sweep, and some much-needed confidence after the Yankee series.
Vicente Padilla made his third start since returning from the DL, and he was sensational. He lasted seven innings for three hits, one run, one walk, and five strikeouts. It was a milestone victory for him, the 100th of his career.
The scoring started in the third. Jamey Carroll walked leading off. Rafael Furcal got his first hit of the day with a single for two on. Matt Kemp got his first start since Saturday and hit an RBI single to score Carroll. Also scoring on the play was Raffy on Pat Burrell's error, making it 2-0.
With the Giants unable to get much of anything going on offense, the Dodgers flexed their muscle in the the fifth. Once again, it was Carroll starting it all off with a double. Raffy then crushed a two-run shot to deep left, his third of the season.
Kemp got in on the act as well, launching a solo shot to left to put the Dodgers up 5-0. It was Kemp's 13th of the year. It was nice to see him do something other than strikeout for a change. Maybe this will jumpstart him.
Padilla gave up his lone run of the day on an Aaron Rowand homer leading off the sixth. Despite the lopsided score, it was probably some sweet revenge for Rowand considering he was beaned in the face by Padilla the last time they met.
Three more runs were tacked on in the eighth to emphatically put this one away. Who started it? That's right, Mr. Jamey Carroll with a double. He went to third on a wild pitch, then came around to score when Padilla's third strike swinging got by Eli Whiteside. It was that kind of a day, and series for that matter, for the Giants.
With the bases loaded on a single by Raffy and walk to Russell Martin, Kemp continued his good day with an RBI single. An RBI groundout by Ronnie Belliard pushed it to 8-1.
Ramon Troncoso pitched a scoreless eighth. Joe Torre wanted to rest Hong-Chih Kuo and Jonathan Broxton again, so good old George Sherrill was summoned to start the ninth. How did he do?
Come on now, did you even need to ask?! Terrible is the answer. He got Aubrey Huff grounding out, then gave up consecutive singles to Burrell and Pablo Sandoval. That was it for him, as Justin Miller soon got the last out of the game.
Not only did Sherrill once again prove he has no business being on the team (6.98 ERA, 2.17 WHIP), but Garret Anderson went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts... on his birthday! I can only hope that it won't be too much longer before they're both shown the door because they offer nothing to help the team. That's the sad reality for them now.
Even with their poor performances, today was a huge positive. Sweeping the Giants is always a sweet deal. Raffy was a big reason why, as he collected nine hits in three games. He's proving all over again why he's one of the most electric leadoff men in baseball. Boy is he fun to watch.
As for Kemp, he has been waiting to have a day like this for quite awhile now. He got on base four of his five at-bats, and was a big reason why the Dodgers stretched the lead in the middle innings. We all know how good he can be, and days like today are a step in that direction again. Combine his offense today with his defense yesterday, and that's the Kemp from last year we've been waiting to see.
The Dodgers will take these positive vibes into Arizona for three after an off day Thursday. Hiroki Kuroda will go on Friday against Edwin Jackson. Jackson, as you all should know, is coming off a no-hitter last Friday. Then again, he walked everybody and their mother, but I guess that didn't matter.
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