Wild 9th Give Dodgers Win in Houston

Dodgers 6 7 0
Astros    3 7 2
W-Jansen (1-0)
L-Lyon (6-6)
S-Kuo (9)
HR-Blake (15)
Wallace (2)
SB-Theriot 2, Johnson

The train was silent in Minute Maid park Saturday night, as the Dodgers won their 2nd in a row in Houston. Joe Torre was ejected in the first inning after arguing strikes and balls when Casey Blake struck out looking. Don Mattingly took over managerial duties, and somehow managed not to do a double take when visiting the mound this time.

John Ely looked a bit nervous in the first inning, probably due to the fact that this was his first game since July. Ely gave up a leadoff walk to Bourn, and then when Keppinger singled the next at bat, Jay Gibbons threw a strike at Casey Blake to tag Bourn trying for third base. They get out of the inning with a double play. In the fourth inning Blake blasts his 15th homerun of the season giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Gibbons singles, and Reed Johnson singles scoring Gibbons. Johnson then proceeds to make a delayed steal! A.J. Ellis singles home Johnson giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

The Astros strike back in the bottom of the inning when Bourn hits a ball into the same area of the outfield where Gibbons had two balls hit to him the night before. He caught one of them last night, but this one he couldn't snag. Bourn trips and falls inbetween 2nd and 3rd, and Kemp's slow response in getting the ball back into the infield allows Bourn to make it to 3rd with a triple. Keppinger then singles home Bourn making it 3-1 Dodgers.

The Astros strike again in the bottom of the 5th when Wallace hits his second homerun, a solo shot. Sanchez then singles, Castro singles, Rodriguez bunts over both runners, and Bourn's ground ball scores a run tying the game at 3-3. Ely goes 6 innings, with 3 ERs, 4 strikeouts, and 1 BB. Rodriguez goes 7 innings, with 3 ERs, striking out 10 and 3 BBs.

Mattingly brings in George Sherrill to pitch the bottom of the 7th inning. He gets his first batter, Wallace, then they stupidly leave him in to face Sanchez, a righty. Well lo and behold, Sanchez hits a double. Luckily they get the hook and bring in Belisario who gets 2 outs including a strikeout to end the inning. Kenley Jansen pitches a perfect 8th inning and later would pick up his first save as a Dodger.

Brandon Lyon comes into pitch the 9th inning for the Astros, and this is where it gets wild. Trent Oeltjen leads off with a walk. Reed Johnson bunts along the 1B line and Wallace picks up the ball thinking it had rolled foul when in fact it was still on the line and fair. Both runners are safe. Ellis then goes for another bunt which goes between the pitcher's mound and third base. Blum doesn't charge for the ball, and Lyon picks it up and throws it away into right field allowing Oeltjen to score. Pence then throws the ball away a second time allowing Johnson to score. The Astros bring in Byrdak who gives up a pinch hit double to Loney scoring Ellis. Kuo pitches a great bottom of the ninth to secure his 9th save and a win for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers announced that Vicente Padilla would not be starting tomorrow due to a bulging disc in his neck again. It looks like he may be out for the rest of the year. Monasterios will be starting tomorrow morning in his place. The Dodgers look to take 3 of 4 in Houston and the series win tomorrow. Go Blue:)