What do all of these things have in common?
It all led to the Dodgers earning a split with the Nationals on Wednesday. After lifelessly dropping the afternoon game 4-1, the Dodgers built up a comfortable 6-0 lead in the nightcap.
Then the Nationals broke through for six in the eighth, and the Dodgers looked dangerously close to getting swept. It's a good thing Matt Kemp flexed his muscle and hit the game-winning homer in the ninth to get the win, 7-6.
As for the disputed run? Just wait, we'll get to that.
The first game was more of the same: good pitching, but horrible offense. With the Nationals up 1-0 in the third, Andre Ethier and Kemp both singled with one out. Adrian Gonzalez stuck, but Hanley Ramirez's RBI single tied the game at 1-1.
The score remained that way until the fifth when Bryce Harper tripled leading off. An RBI groundout by Ryan Zimmerman followed to make it 2-1. An inning later, another RBI groundout from Tyler Moore gave the Nats a 3-1 lead, and the Dodgers would get no closer.
Of course, those 11 men they left on base didn't exactly help things, either.
The second game was a thing of beauty... for 7 1/2 innings anyway. But the Dodgers were putting it all together for awhile.
Most of the damage was done in the third and fourth. Mark Ellis got things started with one out in the third by singling. Shane Victorino struck out for two down, but John Lannan walked both Kemp and Gonzalez to load the bases. Ramirez ripped a two-run single, and Ethier followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0.
Matt Treanor got the start in the nightcap and singled leading off the fourth. Josh Beckett sacrificed him over to second and Ellis grounded out. Once again, the Nationals couldn't get out of the inning with two outs. Lannan pegged Victorino to put runners on the corners. Kemp's RBI single made it 4-0.
A single by Gonzalez loaded the bases, and also brought an end to Lannan's night. Chien Meng Wang came in. No, really, he still exists! His first pitch bounced all the way to the backstop, allowing Victorino to make it 5-0.
Then came the "disputed" part of this game. Ramirez grounded one to Zimmerman at third, who bobbled it a bit. As he reached for it and was rolling over, he actually tagged Gonzalez out as he tried to advance. That was the final out, but then Don Mattingly came out and argued that Kemp's run should count since it wasn't a forceout. Technically, he's right.
But realistically, Kemp really wasn't even close to the plate when the tag was applied, something the umpires apparently didn't notice. And despite a fuss from the Nats, the run did count, and it was 6-0.
With Beckett looking awesome on the mound, it looked like a moot point as the Dodgers entered the eighth up 6-0. But wouldn't you know it, as if things haven't been bad enough for the Dodgers this month, Michael Morse led off with solo shot, Ian Desmond singled, and Steve Lombardozzi hit a two-run homer. As fast as you can blink, it was now 6-3. Even the sure-handed Gonzalez committed an error at first, which chased Beckett.
Randy Choate came in and was terrible. Mark DeRosa singled, and Harper followed with an RBI single to make it 6-4. Ronald Belisario tried to keep the now slim lead, but a two-run single by Morse that just found its way through the infield to tie the game. Unbelievable.
I'm sure plenty of Dodger fans turned the game off at that point, as it went from slightly uncomfortable to just plain painful. We can all rejoice that Kemp turned back the clock to April and hit an 0-2 pitch out to center to give the Dodgers a 7-6 lead. Brandon League got his third save by retiring the Nats in order.
Wow, that was certainly a crazy game. Yes, a win is a win, but it's hard to be excited over a team blowing a huge six-run cushion so late in the game. And lo and behold, that "run" Kemp scored actually turned out to be the difference. It just figures.
The Dodgers will gladly take the break, but they also know they lived up to their team name by dodging a major bullet. They ended the night two games in back of the Cardinals in the Wild Card. They should consider themselves lucky that it's just that.
With the Nationals' magic number to clinch a playoff berth down to one, they'll be looking to take Thursday's game at home. As for the Dodgers, they need to take just about every game here on out. Chris Capuano will take on Ross Detwiler.
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