Dana Eveland (the Cougar), and Matt KeMvP (the MVP) help lead Dodgers to a winning season

Dodgers 4 6 1
Dbacks  2 5 0
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LP-Hudson-16-12
SV-Guerra-21
HR-KeMvP-38

our MVP hits another homerun

The Dodgers secured their 81^st win tonight, and a winning season. Thanks to a great performance from COC graduate Dana Eveland, a first inning home run from KeMvP (his 38^th), and another great job from the bullpen, despite a flustery 8^th inning, where Dodger pitchers walked 5 Dbacks, and allowed two runs, but escaped with the lead. Javy Guerra recorded his 21^st save.

COC graduate Dana Eveland continued his great work on the road, by pitching 5.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and no runs, no walks, and whiffing 5. Opposing pitcher Daniel Hudson pitched tough but was credited with the loss after pitching 7 innings.

Matt KeMvP goes 1 for 4 as he stays at .324, in his continued quest for the triple crown.

Arizona was playing for Home Field advantage and Playoff positioning.

Gordon leads off by slapping a  base hit into left field, and stretches it into a double with his game changing speed. Weve seen him do this many times this year. Sands draws a walk, and KeMvP comes up with runners at first and second.  After working the count to 3-2, KeMvP blasts another home run to deep center field. The ball landing well over the center field bleachers. 3-0 Dodgers.  That’s 38 homeruns, and 123 RBIs.  I think hes locked up the MVP at this point.

Matt KeMvP leads the league in home runs, RBIs, and runs scored

Rivera follows with a grounder to third, that Ryan Roberts makes a great diving play on to retire Rivera. Loney’s long fly bal to center is the second out, and Miles grounds out to end the first.

Dana Eveland begins his first inning of work by retiring the Dbacks in order  123. He ends the inning by whiffing Chris Young.

Daniel Hudson sends the Dodgers down in order to end the top of the second.

Eveland retires the Dbacks in order again, whiffing Cowgill to end the inning. That’s 6 In a row retired by Eveland.

Hudson has a 123 inning in the top of the third. KeMvP whiffs in his second at bat.

The Ever annoying Parra is called out on a close play at first base. Loney had strayed too far off the bag, and Eveland (the Cougar) rushed to just get there in time. Another fly ball, and a grounder and Eveland had retired 9 in a row.

The Dodgers go down 123 again in the fourth. Hudson has now retired 12 in a row since KeMvP’s homer in the first. Still 3-0 Dodgers.

Eveland’s streak is ended in the bottom of the fourth. He gets the first two hitters, Roberts flies out, Hill whiffs, Young singles over Sellers head. Montero grounds out to end the frame.

The ohfers continued through the 5^th. Elli flies out, Sellers pop out, and Eveland whiffs.

In the bottom of the 5^th, Goldschmidt  whiffs. Cowgill gounds out as Gordon’s sidearmed throw is picked nicley by Loney. Parra bunts his way for a base hit. Miles can only watch as the ball rolls fair. However Mcdonald grounds back to Eveland, and we move to the 6^th. Still 3-0 Dodgers.

Top of the 6^th, Gordon singles.  Parra catches Sands long fly ball. Bison whiffs on a called third strike.  Rivera flies out to right.

Naturally  I was skeptical of Eveland. I wasn’t sure he could keep this pace up. Hudson the opposing pitcher singles. Roberts singles Hudson to second. Hill flies to Bison.  Young flares a hit into right field, loading the bases with 1 out, and bringing Miguel Montero to the plate. Eveland whiffs him with one heck of an Uncle Charie Two outs. Mattingly brings a hook. Enter Josh Lindblom.  Exit Arizonas chance to score in the 6^th. Exit Paul Goldschmidt’s bat through the strike zone, as he whiffs on some nasty Lindblom smoke. The Dodgers get out of it. Eveland cant get through the 6^th inning though. Still a good effort from Eveland. His final line is 5.2 innings, no runs, off 5 hits, no walks, and 5 whiffs. Eveland makes 78 pitches, while ahead 3-0.

Top 7^th. Loney leads off with a double off the center field wall, Miles sacrifices Loney to third, because I guess that’s what you do when you have a runner at second and nobody out. Sigh. With an out wasted, Ellis is hit by a pitch in the back. Sellers singles into right field.  Loney scores 4-0 Dodgers! Gywnn hitting for Lindblom lines right to Hill, for an inning ending double play.

Guerrier begins the bottom of the 7^th by whiffing Cowgill, Parra lines out to Loney. Mdonald grounds to Miles who throws wide, and Loney has to acrobatically reach and leap for the throw all the while keeping his foot on the bag for the third out. Wow.

Patterson relieves Hudson. The Dodgers don’t score in the 8^th inning. Gordon flies out. Gibson brings in Ziegler to pitch to Sands and KeMvP. Sands singles up the middle. Rivera bounces out to end the top of the 8^th.

Bottom of the 8^th, Mattingly brings in the sometimes sketchy Nathan Eovaldi. Dodger pitchers walk 5 batters in this inning., Why does Donnie bring in Eovaldi? Im not sure, but he begins by walking Sean Burroughs. Roberts force out erases Burroughs, but his takeout slide prevents the double play. Hill walks. And cue flustery meltdown……..NOW Young walks. Bases loaded. Finally Mattingly decides to do something. His choice is to bring in Scott Elbert. An impossible spot for poor Elbert, should have never been in the first place. Theres a passed ball that scores Roberts. Its 4-1 now.

Then Montero walks. Bases loaded again. Can someone, nay anyone come in and throw strikes please? Mattingly’s answer is Dougie. Somehow Dougie whiffs Goldschmidt. Dougie then predictably walks pinch hitter Blum. Let me retype this Dodger fans. Dougie walks Geoff Blum. This brings up that bastard Parra. I cover my eyes, not wanting to see the inevitable blown game. Im pleasantly surprised as Parra flies out. Dougie barly is able to clean up after Eovaldi takes a big dump on the mound. Its 4-2 Dodgers going into the 9^th inning.

Castillo starts the 9^th. Getting loney to ground out. Gibson makes another move, and brings in shaw. Miles is hit by a pitch. With Ellis at bat, Miles is pathetically picked off for what could be the final TOOTBLAN of the season. Ellis grounds out and we go to the bottom of the 9^th with the Dodgers up 4-2.

As Javy Guerra enters to close the game out,The bottom of the 9^th starts lovely with a throwing error from Dee Gordon. Lyle Overbay’s grounder to second, should have been an easy double play, but Gordon couldn’t turn it, as Mcdonald takes him out with a good slide. Oh Dee. Roberts sacrifices for some reason. Hill flies out, and the Dodgers win! Eveland gets the win. KeMvP another game ball, and Guerra a save. All around a good night.

Tomorrow Hiroki Kuroda will take the mound, in what could be his final start for the Dodgers. Stacie will return to cover her final game this year. Join us tomorrow for a 640 start time televised on KCAL, as Hiroki goes for his 14^th win. If you wanna catch the Dodgers before the season ends, you better do it now! 2011 is officially a winning season for the Dodgers. People may not think this is much but it’s a huge moral victory for Don Mattingly and the Dodgers. Well see you tomorrow. GO BLUE