top 5 games

Off days are boring. not much to do while no games are scheduled.  plenty of time to think back on all the interesting games ive seen through the years. here are a few of the most interesting dodger games Ive seen live over the years.

5.-nice guys finish last. july 1991

dodgers mets rubber game. this wasnt interesting for what happened during the game but what happened afterwards.
when Stacie, my Uncle. and myself went to games we had a routine. We always came through the back entrance off of Scott ST, and alvarado. (this entrance was closed a few years ago) we would get there two hours before game time, so we could watch batting practice, grab our dodger dogs and settle into our seats. but we also had a ritual after games. after every game we would stand outside the players parking lot for autographs. There was a 7 foot tall chain link fence surrounding the parking lot. We would bring our autograph books and always give them to our uncle who would stand against the fence while holding our autograph books over the fence. This was because hes 6'4. normally we would stay until the last player left and we would usually get at least one autograph. this night was different we hadnt gotten any and we were just about to leave when the last player came out. relief pitcher Mike hartley. hartley decided to sign everyone's autograph that night, having everyone line up along the fence as he met everyone shook their hands thank them for coming out and signed whatever we asked of him. what a nice guy we thought.
my uncle would normally cut out sports page articles about the dodgers, or baseball, whatever he thought was interesting and mail them too me. the very next day we found out that the dodgers had traded hartley to the phillies for relief pitcher roger mcdowell.
The next week I got the newspaper article about the hartley-mcdowell trade in the mail from my uncle. He had written something at the top of the article in pen. it read "nice guys finish last"

4-Manny's final game

august 21 2010

my dad had somehow obtained box seats for that nights dodger game and asked me if I wanted to go. uuuhhhhhh is the pope catholic?
he had gotten the tickets a couple of weeks before the game, and Stacie and I were both thinking, hey we might see Manny as we had heard that he was supposed to be coming off of the DL soon. it just so happened that the dodgers activated him for that nights game. It was to be his final home game before being put on waivers to the white sox.
Manny recieved a standing ovation before his first at bat. Manny went 0 for 3 and struck out twice.
the dodgers beat the reds that night 8-5. terrific game! we saw four home runs hit that game by theriot,kemp, ethier, and Jay Gibbons. Gibbons hit one of the strangest home runs ive ever seen at the ravine. his blast hit the very top of the wall in dead center field and bounced over for a home run.

3.-please stand for the traditional 14th inning stretch!

april-1993

The longest game I ever saw at dodger stadium was a 15 inning marathon between the dodgers and the cardinals, at the Ravine. I believe we sat in the lodge section for that one. the game was tied 1-1 during the 13th inning, when we were able to grab an autograph from John Goodman who was sitting a few rows behing us. (you just never know which celebraty youll see at a dodger game!) by the top of the 14th inning we were all wondering if there would be a 14th inning stretch. even my uncle had never been to a game in person that went that long. sure enough after the top of the 14th inning, the PA announcer came on and said "please stand for the traditional 14th inning stretch!" then game lasted 4 and a half hours.
the dodgers lost to the red birds 2-1 in 15 innings.

2.-first playoff game

october 1996-game 1 NL division series

one of my old guidance counslers was a huge dodger fan, and we used to go to games together from time to time. after the dodgers made the playoffs as a wild card after the 96 season, she called me up and invited me to go as she had purchased tickets.
we sat in the reserved level right behind home plate, and she had brought an old transistor radio which she placed at our feet so we could listen to vinny.
the dodgers were playing the braves, and cy young winner John smoltz, was matched up against dodger righty Ramon Martinez. quite a pitching duel, with the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning, Mike Piazza hit a long fly ball that looked like it was headed into the pavillion in right field. however the ball died right at the wall, a mere foot from going over the wall. and with that the dodgers pennant hopes died too that day. Ill never forget 56,000 dodger fans all groaning in unison. the game remianed tied until the 10th inning, when Javy Lopez led off the 10th inning with a solo HR, which won the game for the braves 2-1.
the braves went on to sweep the dodgers in 3 games, en route to a world series against the yanks.

1.-dont stop believing! dodgers playoff glory!

october 2009-game 1 division series

last october, I played hooky from work so that I could go to game 1 of the division series as the dodgers played the cardinals. It pissed my boss off something awful, but who gives a flying, because THE DODGERS WERE IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!
I dont think Ive ever seen the stadium so packed, there was even a line for the mens bathroom! holy crap! 56,000 on hand to witness the dodgers beat the hell out of the red birds!
I went to the game with my girlfriend at the time who had gotten me tickets. we sat in the field level, but down the left field line.
both starting pitchers never figured into the decision. chirs carpenter vs. randy wolf.
Kemp hit a two run home run in the first inning and the dodgers never looked back. furcal tripled, and every dodger in the lineup reached base at least once. the dodgers were up 3-1, then 4-2, and finally 5-2 at one point. broxton came in to get the final out as the dodgers beat the cardinals 5-3.
where was I for game 2? stuck in traffic listening to the game on the radio in my car. what happened you ask? well I think you know. Matt Holiday's error in the 9th and the dodgers amazing feel good comeback win 3-2! "matt holiday has to be the lonliest man in Los Angeles!" said Vinny! the dodgers went on to sweep the cardinals and advance to their second straight NLCS.