The Dodgers took the lead 4 times last night! That is 4 rally’s! This was a big game, a division game against the Padres who are in second place. The Dodgers maintained their perfect record at home this season, 7-0.
THE BISON
Kemp looked brilliant in the 7th! He stayed back on the first pitch, a good slider, to stroke it the opposite way. Then once on base commanded the pitcher’s attention and on a single to right by Blake he baited Brian Giles into thinking he was staying at second base. Then he really turned on the burners and flew to third. This was a huge play since he scored on a bloop single to right by Loretta. Had he not been at third he would not have scored on that hit.
THE UGLY
I have never seen a worse at bat than I did from Furcal following Loretta’s bloop RBI single. There were runners at first and second with no outs. Furcal squared up twice to bunt the runners over and promptly had two strikes. Not this is a lead off man, his entire career and one who has mastered the art of the bunt single and he could not get the bunt down. Wait, it gets worse. He then proceeds to swing at a slider coming in on his hands, whiffs on the pitch for the third strike, and then the pitch hits him in the rear hip! It was surely and odd occurrence. Sorry Raffy, I still love ya!
UNCLE CHARLIE
Jonathan Broxton had it working last night. You could tell that at times he was having control problems with his 97 mph fastball. Although he tossed a few nasty ones at the knees. So he went to a VERY nasty slider and curve. I saw more buckles than a rodeo in that inning. It was just wrong to have to face that nasty breaker just knowing that he had 97-100mph of heat he could come at you with too. Everyone pretty much HAD to sit dead heat and that made them look flat out silly with the curve and slider Broxton had going. Whew, nasty!
We were decimated by injuries the past 3 seasons (cough, hang Stan Conte) and that is the worst way to lose.
