Dodgers Have Been Masters Of The Big Inning

The Dodgers this season have excelled offensively, even without Manny Ramirez.  The have scored 5.46 runs per game, fourth best in baseball.  Yet they have scored all these runs without hitting a lot of home runs.  Only three teams have hit fewer than their 37 homers.

How have the Dodgers scored so many runs?  Volume. 

The big inning.  Just ask the Diamondbacks, who saw their 5-1 lead evaporate in the eighth inning last night.

They have scored five or more runs in an inning 11 times this season, most in the National League. Here are the major league leaders in five-run innings:

Here is a rundown of every big inning by the Dodgers this season:

April 11 @ Arizona - 5-run 6th inning
The Dodgers entered this game at 2-3 (aka the last time in 2009 they were under .500), but were up 3-0 entering the 6th.  Billy Buckner entered the game, and faced only eight batters.  Sixn of them reached base:  two doubles, two singles, and two walks.  Rafael Furcal's RBI single brought home the fifth run of the inning, and Buckner was lifted from the game.
Final Score - Dodgers 11, D-Backs 2
Big Play - Andre Ethier's two-run double
Pitching Recipient - Eric Stults

April 13 vs San Francisco - 6-run 4th inning
In the bottom of the fourth of a 1-1 game, the Dodgers tied their Los Angeles record for most runs in an inning of a home opener.  They chased starter Randy Johnson with a home run, a double, two singles, and three walks.  The double was Orlando Hudson's third hit of the game, putting him only a triple shy of the cycle.
Final Score - Dodgers 11, Giants 1
Big Play - Rafael Furcal's two-run single
Pitching Recipient - Chad Billingsley

April 19 vs Colorado - 7-run 5th inning
The Dodgers were already ahead 4-0, when they loaded the bases with one out to chase starter Ubaldo Jimenez from the game.  Matt Belisle came in and the floodgates opened, as he allowed five hits to the six batters he faced, including extra-base hits to the first three batters he faced.  Reliever Scott Elbert, who had just entered the game for a wild James McDonald, even added an RBI double himself.
Final Score - Dodgers 14, Rockies 2
Big Play - Matt Kemp's grand slam
Pitching Recipient - Scott Elbert

May 6 vs Washington - 7-run 6th inning
On blogger night at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers rallied for seven runs to put away the Nationals to extend their MLB-record season-opening home winning streak to 13 games.  On Manny Ramirez's final game before his suspension, the Dodgers only had four hits in the sixth inning, but also mixed in four walks.
Final Score - Dodgers 10, Nationals 3
Big Play - Manny Ramirez's two-run double
Pitching Recipient - Clayton Kershaw

May 7 vs Washington - 6-run 1st inning
The Dodgers raced out of the gate in the first game without Manny, riding a Matt Kemp grand slam to take a 6-0 lead.  However, Jordan Zimmerman pitched five scoreless innings after that, and the Dodger bullpen imploded, giving up 10 runs in three innings for the Dodgers' only loss during a "big inning" game this season.
Final Score - Nationals 11, Dodgers 9
Big Play - Matt Kemp's grand slam
Pitching Recipient - Randy Wolf

May 13 @ Philadelphia - 5-run 4th inning
Jamie Moyer reverted back to his NLCS performance, allowing five hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch in turning a 1-0 Phillies lead to a 5-1 deficit.  Not only did this inning feature James Loney's first home run of the season, but Matt Kemp also scored from second base on a sacrifice bunt by Randy Wolf
Final Score - Dodgers 9, Phillies 2
Big Play - James Loney's 3-run HR
Pitching Recipient - Randy Wolf

May 25 @ Colorado - 7-run 4th inning
The Dodgers, freed from wearing the awful red Memorial Day caps while hitting, exploded off Jorge De La Rosa for seven runs.  De La Rosa faced eight batters in the inning, and the only out he got still produced a run (a sacrifice fly).  This matched the Dodgers' largest inning of the season, until...
Big Play - Juan Pierre's bases-loaded triple
Pitching Recipient - Eric Stults

May 25 @ Colorado - 8-run 7th inning
The Rockies managed to cut a 7-0 Dodger lead to 7-6, but the Dodgers squashed any comeback plans with seven hits, two walks, and eight runs off Jason Grilli and Alan Embree.  This is the most runs the Dodgers have scored in an inning this season.
Final Score - Dodgers 16, Rockies 6
Big Play - Juan Castro's two-run single
Pitching Recipient - Will Ohman

May 27 @ Colorado - 5-run 7th inning
Clayton Kershaw left the game trailing 3-2 after six innings, but the Dodgers rallied to get him a win, by tallying four hits and two walks off of three pitchers.  This punctuated the Dodgers' sweep in Coors Field, and was Clint Hurdle's final game as manager of the Rockies.
Final Score - Dodgers 8, Rockies 6
Big Play - James Loney's three-run double
Pitching Recipient - Clayton Kershaw

May 31 @ Chicago - 5-run 1st inning
After scoring three runs in the first three games at Wrigley Field, the Dodger offense came alive to start their first ESPN game of the year.  The first five batters all singled against Sean Marshall, and they all scored, propelling the Dodgers to an 8-2 win
Final Score - Dodgers 8, Cubs 2
Big Play - Mark Loretta's two-run double
Pitching Recipient - Eric MIlton

June 2 vs Arizona - 5-run 8th inning
In the Dodgers most thrilling comeback of the season, the Dodgers turned a 5-1 deficit into a 6-5 win, by scoring five runs off three pitchers:  Dan Haren, Tony Pena. and rookie Daniel Schlereth.
Final Score - Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 5
Big Play - James Loney's three-run double
Pitching Recipient - Jeff Weaver

In these eleven big innings, the Dodgers have scored 66 runs.  Here's how the runs and RBI were distributed: