Bryce Harper showed why he is the player of the future with a double, RBI, and a cannon of an arm in the outfield.
Matt Kemp showed why is he the best player right now... and for years to come.
After the Dodgers scored two runs to tie the game in the ninth, Kemp blasted a solo shot leading off the 10th to get another win over the Nationals, 4-3. The Dodgers are now the first to 15 wins in the National League.
This was a game that featured a little of everything, as Stephen Strasburg and Chad Billingsley matched each other pitch for pitch through most of the game. In fact, both ended up with identical lines of seven innings, five hits, and one run. Strasburg won the strikeout battle 9-6.
Adam LaRoche homered on Friday night for the Nats, and he did so once again to start the seventh. His laser shot to right gave them a 1-0 lead. With Ryan Zimmerman on the DL and very little power elsewhere, they'll need him to do much more of that going forward.
In the bottom of the frame, the Dodgers got it right back. Jerry Hairston, Jr., who already made a terrific diving catch for a double play earlier in the game, was beaned leading off. James Loney bounced one that Danny Espinosa booted to reach on the error. Juan Uribe struck out, but A.J. Ellis plated a run with a single, thanks to Hairston gutting it out and knocking the ball away from catcher Wilson Ramos on the slide.
A bit lost in the Kemp hysteria at the end was another rough ninth inning from Javy Guerra. Granted, it was Scott Elbert who made a bad 0-2 pitch to allow LaRoche to reach on a single leading off. But, Guerra was brought in an out later to put out the fire, and once again he made it worse. Espinosa singled and Harper's first career RBI made it 2-1. Ramos hit an RBI single next to push it to 3-1.
Things weren't looking good for the Dodgers, as the bottom of their order was due up against the flame throwing Henry Rodriguez, who continually touched triple digits on the gun. His own wildness, however, would be his undoing.
Mark Ellis singled leading off and went to second on a wild pitch. Loney singled, and Uribe's ground rule double made it 3-2. The other Ellis struck out for one down, and Adam Kennedy then pinch-hit in the pitcher's spot. All he could do was bounce one to first, and for God knows what reason, Loney sprinted for home and was out by 12 miles.
Sure enough, another wild pitch to Dee Gordon allowed Uribe to sprint home to tie the game at three. Gordon soon reached on a strikeout with a wild pitch, but Tony Gwynn's liner was gloved at first to send it into extras.
Jamey Wright did a wonderful job in getting the Nats in order to set the plate for Kemp. On a 1-2 count against Tom Gorzelanny, Kemp deposited it over the wall in center, and that was all she wrote.
Kemp struggled at the plate for most of the game, as Strasburg struck him out twice. He managed a walk and stolen base off of Tyler Clippard in the eighth, so perhaps that helped give him some momentum back. Whatever the case, he swung the bat like the man he is to again save his best for last. Amazing.
The Dodgers are now 8-3 in one-run games, which goes to show they are getting big hits at the right time. They could've easily rolled over both when Strasburg was on the mound and after falling behind in the ninth, but they kept battling. That's what's been so much fun about these guys so far this season. They keep eyeballs glued to the TV set until the end.
As for Harper, he gave everyone a taste of just how good he's going to be, and fast. He has incredible bat speed, a great arm, and is very fast. It's hard not to like him. Say what you want about his perceived arrogance, but he's going to be a star in no time. Maybe the Dodgers should be thankful they at least got him out twice.
A sweep would be huge, and that's exactly what the Dodgers will go for on Sunday. It'll be up to Chris Capuano, who will look to improve to 3-0. He'll be opposed by another great, young starter for the Nats, Gio Gonzalez.
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