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A game you will never forget

Mark Loretta goes from Blogger punching bag to Dodger Hero and is now forever in the hearts of Dodger Fans (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

More photos » Mark J. Terrill - AP

Mark Loretta goes from Blogger punching bag to Dodger Hero and is now forever in the hearts of Dodger Fans (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)


If you have watched the Dodgers for any period of time some memorable games are destined to remain locked into your brain forever, and tonight's game will now join them.

This game had everything:

  • great young pitcher dueling with one of the top three pitchers in the NL
  • coming of age right fielder tying the game with a bomb to CF when it appeared that no one could touch Wainwright.
  • great relay to nail potential run at 3rd base
  • Bullpen proving once again to be untouchable
  • Joe Torre going with Broxton in the 8th against the heart of the lineup
  • Matt Kemp making yet another beautiful catch to end an inning, keeping the Dodgers close
  • Casey Blake with dynamite at bat to coach a walk
  • Rolly Polly Ronnie Belliard stroking yet another hit as a Dodger and non bigger 
  • Juan Pierre using the one skill he has to score the tying run
  • True Blue and basically every Dodger Blog punching bag Mark Loretta with the game winning hit
  • Most important - V I C T O R Y

Because without the victory this game would be only memorable for the pain it brings.

 

Dodger Blogs Celebrate Loretta & Holliday

Sons of Steve Garvey: Holliday on Ice

Reflections of Blue: Cardinals (And Holliday) Take It In The Nuts

Starring Matt Holliday As Bill Buckner! - Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness

Memories Of Kevin Malone: I Love You, Mark Loretta!

1 recs  |  Comment 78 comments |

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if anyone get to it later on

I’d love to hear the radio calls from kabc, i bet that was fantastic!

William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.

by Ollie on Oct 8, 2009 7:33 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

So anyone

gonna ask Holliday how his special purpose is doing?

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

haha ESPN news is like wtf happened in LA?

sorry i just got to savor this….
just for tonight….

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:35 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Keep on hating

ESPN, Yahoo, Keith Law, the WORLD..

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

yeah and theyre like
the dodgers who couldnt score a run for their life in recent postseasons yet alone win a game take advantage of an error by holliday and poor pitching by frankiln…

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:40 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Youre kidding right? Who said that?

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

i dont know the guy on espn news

i shall find the link rite now…

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

heres the link:

the guy says that at the end…
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4544236&categoryid=2378529

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

seriously that little joke is getting stale....

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

TBS

showed some video of the freeway system..

That should stop that dumb joke.

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Haha

Since the beginning of the 2008 playoffs, the Dodgers have scored 45 runs in 9 games (5 per game) before today.

To quote Jim Calhoun, “get some facts!”

by Eric Stephen on Oct 8, 2009 7:48 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

thats right

in the cubs series
we outscored em 20 to 6….

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

So...what was last year, then?

I remember the series against the Cubs. I rooted for the Dodgers in the postseason last year too.

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 8, 2009 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I rooted for the Dodgers as well

and the Rays in the AL. My dad got me a Dodgers beer bottle when he went to Dodger Stadium a couple years ago. It’s prominently displayed with my non-Tigers baseball crap. And you’ve gotta dig Dodger history. And Dodger dogs.

by ChrisDTX on Oct 8, 2009 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

but hey i love it keep up the good work

Because when I think of Boris Diaw, I think of Beethoven and the age of Romanticism....

by shaqfor3 on Oct 8, 2009 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Law isn't really a hater

I know he took St L in 5, but he’s been pretty clear he thinks LA is good and that this was a tossup.

by oshea2002 on Oct 8, 2009 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

What did Law say wrong?

He said Cards in 5 and it’s a tossup series, which it is.

by kensai on Oct 8, 2009 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Agreed. It’s tiring listening to people rip on guys like Law who provide unbiased analysis just because they don’t like the predictions based on that analysis. Especially when the LA beat writers are people like Plaschke and Simers.

Dodger Fever: Catch it every summer; head to the ER every October.

by Tango and Cash on Oct 8, 2009 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Sorry

but that Waino comment about the towels was really dumb.. Anyone watch the Phillies game? They were waving those things during both halves of the inning..

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 7:50 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

In theory

he’s right

if all you see is white and it’s in the shadows as it is…

by kensai on Oct 8, 2009 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Dont get me wrong

50000 white towels must be a bitch but Holliday booted that ball.

by NotJoeTorre on Oct 8, 2009 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, Kemp wasn’t having to face that. Oh, wait…

by KellyStephen on Oct 8, 2009 8:58 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

From Jon Chapper Dodger PR
Los Angeles Dodgers game-ending hits in the postseason:

9/29/59 – Game 2 of 1959 Tiebreaker Playoff for NL Pennant vs. Milwaukee Braves: Furillo singled to shortstop, Hodges scored an unearned run on Mantilla error

10/7/78 – Game 4 1978 NLCS vs. Philadelphia : Russell singled to center, Cey scored an unearned run

10/15/88 – Game 1 1988 World Series vs. Oakland : Gibson two-run homer

10/8/09 – Game 2 NLDS vs. St. Louis : Loretta singles to center field, Casey Blake scores an unearned run

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Oct 8, 2009 7:53 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Ah, Gibson

Tigertown has some fond memories of him as well. Of course, I personally don’t remember him (I was a year old the last time the Tigers won the World Series), but I’ve seen the footage (both with the Tigers and the Dodgers…though I will admit the 1988 WS home run was more exciting).

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 8, 2009 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I said this yesterday :o

Wainwright was not happy with the white towels given out to fans at Dodger Stadium, believing they contributed to Holliday’s misplay, telling MLB Network:

    It doesn’t really seem fair that the opposing team should be allowed to shake white towels when there’s a white baseball flying through the air. Dodger blue towels, how about that?

by kensai on Oct 8, 2009 8:02 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I wonder

if people had the same sour grapes all those years the Twins employed the “homer hankies?” Wainwright needs to shut the f*ck up. If he wants to complain about the crowd, then he needs to play golf or tennis.

by ishXdavid on Oct 8, 2009 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

+1

That rug really tied the room together...

by Streams Of Whiskey on Oct 9, 2009 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Hey, the Tiger outfielders had to deal with that Metrodome ceiling (which contributed to their demise)

I’m sure Ryan Raburn would be happy to have to deal with towels instead. Besides, aren’t towels fairly common in postseason?

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 8, 2009 8:12 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Wainey

Its called "HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE".

Should have went for it instead of laying down at the end of the series.

by Dodger Dude on Oct 8, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Could be Wainwright

just being a good teammate and trying to help his teammate out.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Oct 8, 2009 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

That’s what it seems like to me. Wainwright seemed very classy and had nothing but good things to say about Kershaw… I think he was just trying to get Holliday’s back, even if it means spouting out crap like that.

You wanna know how great baseball is? The greatest basketball player ever left his sport to play baseball.

by Jesse S. on Oct 9, 2009 2:20 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

No Help

for Franklin though. He still just had to get one out between Belliard, Martin and Blake.

by LA Taco on Oct 9, 2009 5:02 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Incredible game

I’m in NY for a wedding, and of course the rehearsal dinner coincided with Clayton Kershaw’s first postseason start. I was able to break away from the dinner just in time for the bottom of the ninth, and I’m so glad I did. In a bar full of Yankee fans, I was able to find the lone Dodger fan who had his Dodger fandom passed down from his father who was an old Brooklyn Dodger fan. We jumped and hugged when Loretta hit the GW single, and I made it back to the table before my girlfriend got too upset about being gone for too long. I’ll remember this game for as long as I live. GO BLUE!

by ishXdavid on Oct 8, 2009 8:07 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

did i meet your friends last night?

i met a couple from california that were in town for a wedding that were angels fans, and they pointed out their friend in the back who was a dodger fan.

by bearface on Oct 8, 2009 9:20 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Probably not

I’m actually in Long Island… the “OC” to NY’s LA.

by ishXdavid on Oct 8, 2009 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

All of my screaming in the Ninth.

Got my hot neighbor to put on the game and scream along with me. And then we met up on our shared balcony for a high five.

by Ian Capilouto on Oct 8, 2009 8:15 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

That sounds like the perfect ending to an 80s movie

by Eric Stephen on Oct 8, 2009 8:20 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Hehe, it was 80's.

She is in her late 30’s and drinks wine coolers.

by Ian Capilouto on Oct 8, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

so what are you doing on here? life is passing you by, son. get back out on that balcony and “put out the vibe.”

by lchristmas on Oct 8, 2009 8:31 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Begins

Slow clap

by ishXdavid on Oct 8, 2009 11:06 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

Super Sweet Win!

Love the Dodgers!

"If you don't take out his battery, he's going to keep going all day."

by S Jay Bruin on Oct 8, 2009 8:29 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Well, it was nice meeting you guys

Right now, I’m off to bed (I know most of you are probably on the west coast, but I’m in Ohio and it’s almost midnight here). I’d like to join you for Saturday’s game, if you don’t mind. Go Dodgers!

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 8, 2009 8:47 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Angels rolling the Red Sox

3 – 0 in the 7th. Would love to see Vlady get to a World Series

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Oct 8, 2009 9:12 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

It was a game you will never forget both sides.

I think this is a loss the Cardinals won’t be able to recover from.

Hopefully the Dodgers can get early jump on the Cardinals come Saturday night, and make the Cardinals doubt themselves.

One thing that I’m upset with the national coverage saying the Dodgers are playing with house money now. I don’t care what it is but if we got chance to close out Saturday night and we blow the game, no Dodgers fan will be like oh well its house money, we can give a game to them.

Remember to never question this group of Dodgers heart and desire.

by Bison27 on Oct 8, 2009 9:18 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

I was having dinner with my girlfriend and was unable to watch the game.

Being that I live in Arizona, my sister is my only connection to Dodger baseball. She continued sending me messages throughout the bottom of the 9th, keeping me updated (my girlfriend was not annoyed by this, as she understands my fandom; in fact, I think she is coming around from being a Diamondback fan to a Dodger fan – she remembers Vinny’s quote after Gibson’s homerun from playing the damn replay so much, “In a year that has been so improbable . . .”).

We get in the car and turn on ESPN. Dodgers win in the bottom of the 9th, 3-2! Jubilation ensued. Whooping and hollering as we drove home. High fiving her multiple times.

“This calls for desert!” I shout, happily. She pulls into the parking lot of the bakery, where I here the play by play of the bottom of the 9th.

I hear the name “Mark Loretta”. Mark Loretta? What does he have to do with this, I wonder. I hear the broadcaster state he had the game winning hit. And I laughed. A hearty laugh. “You are getting three coffee cakes!” I tell my girlfriend. "Mark motherfucking Loretta!’

I don’t know if it was the disbelief or the happiness or the sheer win, but I laughed for a straight thirty minutes thinking about Mark Loretta getting the winning hit. I am still laughing. Greatest moment in his life, no doubt.

by Dr. Geek on Oct 8, 2009 9:27 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

Nice story man! Same thing happened to me… when I finally started thinking about what Mark Loretta— Mark Loretta!— had actually done, I couldn’t stop laughing/shouting in disbelief.

You wanna know how great baseball is? The greatest basketball player ever left his sport to play baseball.

by Jesse S. on Oct 9, 2009 2:24 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I’m happy for Mark Loretta. Watching the news conference footage after the game, it was pretty cool that he brought his kid up to the podium with him. And, yeah, he grew up in Arcadia, it turns out. I didn’t realize that. So, we have a bunch of guys who grew up with the team: Loretta, Wolf, Weaver, and Garland, too, right?

by TopDeckTrueBlue on Oct 9, 2009 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ack, guess I can’t edit. Forgot to say why I’m happy for Loretta – he’s been getting dumped on all year (I spend most of my time on the CBS Sports board). There are lots worse players than him, ya know?!

by TopDeckTrueBlue on Oct 9, 2009 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I got to go to the game

and it is most definitely the best game I have ever been to in my entire life.

The 8th and 9th innings were so insane. When Kemp was up with the bases loaded it was the loudest I had ever heard the stadium….until Loretta went and won the game with his single :D

I stayed in the stadium for about 20 minutes after the game ended just thinking about what had happened (and so I wasn’t in the parking lot for an hour…which I was anyway).

Unbelievable game, the Dodgers pitching looks amazing, and they still have that never say die attitude.

By the way, the Dodgers are now 3-0 when I attend a playoff game :)

by Ivdown on Oct 8, 2009 10:06 PM PDT reply actions   0 recs

The game sure did not have a playoff atmosphere until about

the 6th inning. It felt like one of those pretty crowded Friday night games. My wife texted me about Loretta’s 0-15 against Franklin, and was just hoping he could walk until the impossible happened. I also feel better about Loretta in general because Suchon said on post game that Loretta was a Dodger fan as a kid. Like us I guess. But he sure was a dick when he pounded out that one good season with the Padres.

by delias man on Oct 9, 2009 7:48 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

My dad was at the game

He told me the loudest was after the Belliard hit and then it was just madness from then on out.

Awesome you got to enjoy that in the stadium….

by Michael White on Oct 9, 2009 7:56 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Top Deck was empty, sort of

Took the wife and kids last night, and I’m hoping my daughter (who’s 7) remembers this well enough that she can tell it to her grandkids. My son is 4, and was ready to go home, so I hope I haven’t made him hate baseball by making him sit through it. At least he can say he was there, too.

It was weird, though – the top deck concession stands were virtually empty the whole game. Poor beer kiosk guys standing around, not selling anything. I think I saw one vendor up and down the aisles the whole game. So, yeah, it was kind of odd. Maybe it was the start-time.

I’m 3-1 in playoff games now. :)

by TopDeckTrueBlue on Oct 9, 2009 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

Belliard's first name is Ronnie

Actually technically it is Ronald, but you get the idea. In the main article he is referenced as Rafael

by quirkzoo on Oct 9, 2009 8:02 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

It was Phil’s shout out to the defensively-gifted, offensively-challenged former SS of yesteryear :)

by Eric Stephen on Oct 9, 2009 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

what a brain fart

so what happens when you have every player who ever played since 1965 crammed into your brain.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Oct 9, 2009 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know about anyone else. But I feel hungover after last night's excitement. And I didn't have a single drink.

Also, I find it funny how we were talking about 1996 a few days ago and now we are talking about 1988.

by Dr. Geek on Oct 9, 2009 8:32 AM PDT reply actions   0 recs

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