With Kobe Bryant watching from the stands Clayton Kershaw was nursing a 1 - 0 lead with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 5th with the chances of him getting out of the jam with the lead slim and none. Ausmus came to the mound to calm Kershaw down and predicted what would happen next.
"I just told him, 'If it comes to you, come to me and we'll get a double play,'" said catcher Ausmus. "I didn't actually think it would happen."
It did happen exactly has Ausmus said when Bobby Abreu hit into a home to first double play. One out later Kershaw was headed to the dugout for the top of the sixth still holding onto that 1 - 0 lead. Joe Torre was impressed.
"The kid grew up in a hurry," said Torre. "I told [pitching coach Rick Honeycutt], he got himself into the mess, he'll have to get himself out. From there on out, he was pretty much dominant. He's 21. I was still drooling at 21."
James Loney added a two run shot in the 8th and several kangaroo singles in the ninth gave the Dodgers the five runs they would need to withstand a mini ninth inning rally by the Angels, and give Kershaw his 4th win in 5 decisions.
Once the Angels beat the Dodgers ace on Friday night it looked doubtful the Dodgers would be able to win this series with Angel ace's Weaver and Lackey going Saturday and Sunday but this is a team you can't count out and by the time the dusk fell on Fathers Day the Dodgers had won another series, and are now a season high 22 games over 500.
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