A two-run homer by Jay Gibbons in the 11th inning snapped a 2-2 tie and propelled the Dodgers over the Astros, 4-2. The win mercifully snaps a six-game losing streak in which the Dodgers scored only nine runs.
Hiroki Kuroda came into the game having pitched beautifully since the beginning of August. It's been pretty quiet considering the Dodgers still haven't won much, but he's been great. His opponent, J.A. Happ, has been fantastic since coming over from the Phillies in the Roy Oswalt deal. So, this was a very good pitching matchup.
Both didn't disappoint, as the first four innings were nothing but blanks, with only five hits combined. In the fifth, the Dodgers broke through. Rod Barajas hit a single leading off, part of his three-hit night. Kuroda sacrificed him over to second before Rafael Furcal struck out.
With two outs, Jamey Carroll hit an RBI single to go up 1-0. Casey Blake, hitting in the #3 spot in the order for the first time this year, reached on an infield single. Andre Ethier hit cleanup, but struck out. Again. Like he's so good at doing.
The Astros responded in the bottom of the frame. Angel Sanchez and Brett Wallace each singled with one down to put runners on the corners. Now with two outs, Michael Bourne placed a single in shallow center to tie the game at 1-1.
Happ got pulled after five innings and 102 pitches. Wilton Lopez came in, and the Dodgers got another run in the sixth. Matt Kemp led off with a triple in which he hustled into third. Yes, I just said the words "Matt Kemp" and "hustled" in the same sentence, and it wasn't sarcastic either! Well alright! Gibbons scored him with an RBI single for the 2-1 lead.
Ronald Belisario relieved Kuroda in the seventh, who came out for a pinch-hitter the previous inning. Belisario got Sanchez looking to start the inning, but Wallace hit a ground rule double to dead center. With Geoff Blum due up, Joe Torre went to George Sherrill.
Instead of Blum, Jason Michaels pinch-hit and flew out. But, Bourne again came through with an RBI single to it at 2-2, though he was thrown out trying to get to second to end the inning.
Jonathan Broxton pitched the eighth and got through it in order. He hasn't done that since August 25, six appearances before this one. But I'm sure he'll take it - anything positive at this point he'll gladly take with open arms.
New closers Brandon Lyon and Hong-Chih Kuo each got through the ninth to send the game into extras. In the bottom of the 10th, Bourne tripled with one down to get that close to a win. But, Octavio Dotel struck out Jeff Keppinger and Hunter Pence to move the game to the 11th.
Finally, in the 11th, the Dodgers stepped up. Kemp singled leading off the inning. Gibbons then crushed one to right-center for a two-run shot and a 4-2 lead. Dotel stayed on to get through the Astros in the bottom of the frame to earn the win.
Gibbons was great all night, and he didn't even start. He pinch-hit for Reed Johnson in the sixth and ended up going 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Kemp also had a good night with two hits and two runs, and same for Barajas with three hits and a run.
Kuroda didn't last long enough to get the win, but he was still very good when he was in there. He ended up going six innings for four hits, one run, two walks, and three strikeouts. He's lowered his ERA to 3.32. He's not signed past this year and he's not getting any younger at 35, but I would think the Dodgers have to consider trying to resign him. I think he's earned it.
The Dodgers are what they are at this point, and that's a team that will have to scratch and claw for every win. It was actually pretty shocking to see then win on a home run. That's a rarity these days. It's great for a guy like Gibbons, who deserves to stay in the majors with a .343 average after being called up from Triple-A on August 8.
On Saturday the Dodgers will look to do the unthinkable: win two whole games in a row! Hey, crazier things have happened. John Ely hasn't started since getting bombed against the Cubs on July 10, but he'll look to get back on the good side of things.
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