Loney's tying homer, and Kemp's walk off blast lead Dodgers to win

Rockies  6 13 2
Dodgers 7 13 1
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LP-Hammel-7-13
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Todays game was crazy. I don't think any game recap I do could really do it justice. the Dodgers at one time were down 4-0 rallied back to take a 5-4 lead. coughed up the lead on a mullet line drive homer, then Loney tied it with a homer in the 9th, and Matt Kemp, MR. MVP hit his third walk off home run of the season, and his fourth walk off hit of the season. the Dodgers won 7-6. also big ups to the Dodger bullpen, despite Mullet's homer, they pitched 4+ scoreless innings in relief.

Im glad I don't have to talk about Mattingly's failed do nothing and bunt strategies, and Chad Billinglsey with a shaky but gutsy performance pitching 6 innings and making 123 pitches during a 100 degree day in Los Angeles. the Dodgers have now won 5 in a row!

Bills made 123 pitches today

Bills begins the game by allowing a leadoff hit to Fowler. Mark Ellis grounds into a double play and there's two outs. but that bastard Cargo drops a bunt down for a hit, and then Bills walks Mullet. once again which Bills will we see here? the good bills for now. he gets Helton on a fly ball to Ethier, and we move into the bottom of the first scoreless.

the crappy Bills emerges to start the second. Smith singles, and Kouzmanoff doubles as the ball bounces off the first base bag, going by the diving Loney. so second and third and no one out. then we see the good Bills emerge. he whiffs Iannetta, Millwood grounds one to first, and Loney throws home to nail Seth Smith at the plate. Smith was running on contact and slides into A.J. Ellis' tag. runners at first and third with two outs now, and Bills gets Folwer to ground out into a force. Miles underhand feeds to Carroll coming across the bag for the third out.

the crappy Bills resurfaces in the top of the third. Colorado scores three runs to take an early lead.
Mark Ellis leads off with a shallow fly to left, but Rivera is too dam slow, he dives and trys to backhand it but the ball bounces off his glove, and its a double for Ellis. Cargo singles in Ellis its 1-0 Colorado. then Mullet hits a hanging Bills cut fastball halfway up the left field bleachers and its 3-0. Bills does retire the next three hitters in order, but the damage is done.

 bottom of the third, Don Mattingly's failed strategy directly results in the Dodgers not scoring.
Carroll singles, and Bills shows bunt but kept pulling the bat back. I just dont understand Mattingly's thinking. he constantly bunts when he shouldn't be, then the one time comes up when your supposed to bunt with your pitcher up and he has him swing away? I don't get Don Mattinlgy. so Bills pops one up to Ellis, but he loses it in the sun and drops it, but still gets Carroll on a force out on the plate. then with Bills now at first, Miles trys to bunt for some unknown reason, he misses and Bills is easily picked off first base.
Don Mattingly-GENIOUS

you know I hate to pick on Mattingly but his under-managing style only makes things worse. Im not blaming this on Mattingly, I mean Bills sucked today, but Mattingly just sits there and does nothing, hey Donnie how about having someone warming up before the inning starts? Bills had only made like 80 pitches by the 4th inning, well in the 4th, Iannetta is called on strikes, but on the pitcher Millwood's grounder, Carroll's errant throw pulls Loney off the bag. of coarse. Fowler flies out, Mark Ellis singles Millwood to second. Cargo's sinlge scores Millwood, and its 4-0. however Bills whiffs Mullet to end the inning.

the Dodgers have a chance to get back in the game in the bottom half of the 4th. the end result was an epic failure. Miles pop fly is dropped by Mark Ellis, and Loney draws a walk. but Bison flys out, and Rivera hits into a double play. still 4-0 bastards.

Bills is allowed to stay out for the top of the 5th, and he barly gets through the inning. he gets the first two outs, but Kouzmanoff bangs a hit off the wall in left, but Rivera throws him out trying to extend it to a double, with Miles applying the tag. Bills makes 108 pitches through 5, and still losing 4-0.

in the bottom of the 5th, the Dodgers get a double from Blake but thats it. for the second time in as many weeks the Dodgers are being shut out by the corpse of Kevin Millwood.

move to the top of the 6th, where Chad Billingsley was still out there. Iannetta flys out, but the pitcher Millwood walks. Bills has now made over 110 pitches. Kuo was warming up but Donnie was trying to push his luck again. Fowler a pop fly hit to center, but Kemp fires into second base to get a force out on Millwood. theres a wild pitch that sends Fowler to second, but Ellis whiffs on a called third strike. Bills makes 123 pitches through 6 innings, still trailing 4-0. is Mattingly trying to kill Bills?

the Dodgers only chance coming into the 6th inning was to try and tire out Millwood and get into the Colorado Bumpen, and with a couple of timely hits, some lousy Colorado defense and a little luck, and thats exactly what happens, as the Dodgers score five runs. heres how it happened.....

the inning starts off very quietly with Oeltjen hitting for Bills popping out to Millwood. Miles a bloop single,  Loney singles miles to third. Jim Tracy makes a pitching change and brings in Matt Belisle. Bison hits a chopper to third, and Kouzmanoff's throw is too high and bounces off the glove of catcher Iannetta and Miles is safe at the plate. Rivera singles into right field, scoring Loney, as Kemp belly flops into third. he would have been out, but Kouzmanoff drops the ball, and allows Rivera to go to second. Ethier is intentionally walked. Casey Blake, who apparently still has some Baseball left in his rusty old bones, hits a double into the gap, kemp and rivera score, but Ethier is thrown out at the plate as he ran through another stop sing I think. however its a tie game baby! 4-4. A.J. Ellis is hit by a pitch, Carroll singles into right scoring Blaker, the Dodgers come from behind to take the lead 5-4! Rex Brothers is brought in and strikes out oeltjen ending the inning. its another good ol' fashion Colorado meltdown!

but the Dodgers would give it right back in the top of the 7th. with Kuo on the mound stupid cargo bunts for a hit again. Mullet hits a Kuo meatball just over the low wall in left field near the foul pole for a line drive home run, its his second of the game. Kuo gets pissed and strikes out Helton and Smith, before Guerrier is brought in to retire Kouzmanoff on a pop out.

Colorado has many bastards here are two of them

now with the momentum gone, we know its pretty much over unless Bison homers. Brothers is left in to start the 7th, he retires Miles and Loney, then is taken out. Tracy brings in Huston Street to pitch to Kemp. Street normally the closer was just activated off the DL. Bison singles into center. Rivera pops out to end the inning.

Guerrier gets through the 8th without allowing anything, and Street is left in to begin the 9th.

bottom of the 8th. Ethier leads off with a single. then with Blake at bat, Don Mattingly deploys more of his do-nothing-and-bunt strategy. Blake was 2 for 3 in the game, and Mattingly just gives away an out. Blake moves Ethier over, and Big Rod pinch hits for Ellis. Donnie is playing for the home run. Big Rod draws a walk. Mattinlgy tries to go for the home run again. yeah how often has that worked?
Carroll flies out, and Gwynn is called to pinch hit for Guerrier. Tracy goes to the pen and brings in Betancourt. I think Sellers would have been a better option to pinch hit here, but hey what do I know right? Gwynn fouls out, and Mattingly ruins another scoring rally with his bunting.

Elbert pitches a scoreless top of the 9th, and we move to the bottom of the 9th.

well in the bottom of the 9th, it looks like were screwed. betancourt is still pitching and after Miles pops out, we know that if Kemp doesn't homer then were done. however it isn't Kemp who homers, but guess who?.......you guessed it...LONEY Mr. Loney drives another homer deep into the right field bleachers and into the Los Angeles sun! should we start calling the Dodgers the Cardiac kids? tie game baby!

what has gotten into Loney?!

so we go to extra innings for the second time this week. Javy Guerra comes in from the Pen and blows some smoke down Colorado's throat! Guerra whiffs Giambi and Iannetta we move to the bottom of the 10th.

Colorado had depleted their bullpen and were desperate so they bring in starting pitcher Jason Hammel. we beat him last week in Colorado. 1 out Blake walks, Big Rod singles, Carroll flys out, Sellers pinch hits for Guerra and walks to load the bases, but Miles whiffs to send it to the 11th.

Dougie pitches a 123 inning in the top of the 11th, to my surprise and happiness.

bottom of the 11th, with Hammel still pitching. I knew it was only a matter of time before we got to him. First Loney flys out to right, then our MVP Matt Kemp slams one into the right field bleachers, for his 31st Homer of the year, and his 100th RBI of the season! DODGERS WIN BABY!

MVP

ok as much as Ive scrutinized Don Mattingly this season, I will say this for him, he runs a good clubhouse. he's got the guys playing very well. back to back come from behind wins? this reminds me a little of the 2004 division winning Dodgers that had 8 consecutive come from behind wins during one stretch.

well it will be tough for the Dodgers to get the sweep tomorrow as Joulysh Chacin will pitch for Colorado and he's always been tough on the Dodgers. the Dodgers will counter with Rookie Nathan Eovaldi in another afternoon game. Colorado meltdowns are so enjoyable! stay cool Dodger fans! GO BLUE