Dodgers assured of winning record

No, really!

In what seemed like a complete improbability about a month and a half ago, the Dodgers will finish in the black when the season is over thanks to a 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday. And, for a pretty laughable fact, they also are three games over .500 (81-78) for the first time the entire season.

Better late than never, right?

With Daniel Hudson on the mound, the most likely #2 starter for the Diamondbacks come playoff time, the Dodgers went to work right away. Dee Gordon began the game with a double thanks to his blazing speed. Jerry Sands took a walk, and up came that Matt Kemp guy.

Kemp, as we all know, still has hopes of winning the Triple Crown, thanks to leading the National League in homers and RBIs, and being close in batting average. Still needing more good at-bats, he delivered. Kemp creamed one to dead center for a three-run shot, and it was already 3-0. It was Kemp's 38th of the season to go along with 123 RBIs. It was also his last hit of the game, which didn't exactly help his cause.

Dana Eveland was put in charge of keeping the lead, despite being lit up his last couple of starts. How did he respond? Very nicely, thank you very much. He mowed through the first 11 hitters he faced before Chris Young broke up a shot at perfection with a two-out single in the fourth. Miguel Montero grounded to first to end the inning.

The Diamondbacks had a great chance to get right back into the game in the sixth. Hudson singled leading off, and Ryan Roberts followed with his own. After getting Aaron Hill to fly to center, Young singled again, and the bases were juiced.

Eveland stayed on to pitch to Montero, and it worked as he struck out. With Peter Goldschmidt coming up, Don Mattingly gave the ball to Josh Lindblom to leave all three runners stranded. One strikeout later, Lindblom did just that to keep the score at 3-0.

The Dodgers added their final run in the seventh. James Loney has been a big piece of the puzzle in getting the Dodgers over the hump in recent weeks, and he doubled to start. A sacrifice by Aaron Miles sent Loney to third, and A.J. Ellis was beaned. Justin Sellers came through with an RBI single, and it was 4-0.

Matt Guerrier plowed right through the DBacks in order in the seventh, and handed it over to Nathan Eovaldi in the eighth. Unfortunately, as has been the case since Eovaldi went to the bullpen, he was hit around. It all started on a walk to Sean Burroughs. Roberts grounded into a fielder's choice for the first out, but Hill and Young both walked to load the bases again.

Out went Eovaldi, who did about the worst thing possible by walking everyone with a lead, and in came Scott Elbert. Ellis allowed a passed ball to bring home Roberts, and it was now 4-1. The bases became loaded again on another walk to Montero.

That meant the end of Elbert, and the arrival of Mike MacDougal. Goldschmidt struck out again in a big spot, which added to his 0-for-4 night with three strikeouts and six men left on. The DBacks did get a second run in, though. How did it happen? You guessed it - another damn walk! Gerardo Parra flew out to end the inning. I'm surprised he didn't walk just for kicks.

Javy Guerra had to work around Gordon's throwing error to start the inning, but got through the next three in order to earn his 21st save.

Much credit goes to Eveland, who certainly bounced back from a couple of poor outings. He lasted 5 2/3 innings for five hits, no runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. As the Dodgers found out later in the game, when their pitchers don't issue walks, they're pretty good. He improved to 3-2 with a 3.03 ERA to finish out the season. Not too shabby.

As for Eovaldi, he clearly is not the same guy coming out of the 'pen as he is starting the game. In six starts, he was 1-2, but with a really good ERA of 3.09. In four appearances out of the bullpen covering 2 2/3 innings, he's given up three runs on three hits and three walks, and without any strikeouts.

Kemp has a nice 10-game hitting streak in which he's raised his average from .314 to .324. The negative side is that in his last four games, he's collected only one hit apiece. With Ryan Braun and Jose Reyes both at .334, Kemp will pretty much need to be flawless and those two hitless over the final couple of games in order to grab the batting average crown. In other words, try hard to keep the faith, because it's not likely to happen.

The Dodgers will look to continue their strong play over the last couple of games in Arizona. Hiroki Kuroda will make the start on Tuesday in what very well could be his final appearance with the Dodgers. I sure hope not, and despite the Dodgers certainly wanting him to come back in 2012, he may not be able to resist a return to his native Japan as he wraps up his career. Time will tell, so enjoy him while we have him.