The Dodgers had their greatest comeback win of the season, puting off elimination for at least two more days, defeating the Rockies, 7-6, on a walk-off single by A.J. Ellis in the 11th inning. It was the seventh hit in his last eight at-bats.
Down 6-1 after two innings, the Dodgers rallied for three runs in the fourth inning, and one more in the seventh on Matt Kemp's home run. Coupled with Andre Ethier's first-inning home run, today was the first game since August 24 that the Dodgers had two home runs in a game. Back-to-back doubles by Rafael Furcal and Kemp off Huston Street in the ninth inning tied the game for the Dodgers, sending it to extra innings.
Five days after pitching his first career shutout in San Francisco, Clayton Kershaw did not pitch well today. He walked the first two batters of the game and, after an intentional walk to the white-hot Troy Tulowitzki with first base open, Jason Giambi made him pay with a three-run double to the wall in left field. The ball was catchable, but it hit off of Jay Gibbons' glove, as his outfield adventures continue. Gibbons did have a nice diving catch to end the top of the ninth inning though.
Kershaw, who had allowed two runs total in 31 career innings at Dodger Stadium against Colorado before today, allowed three runs in each of the first two frames today. In the second inning, however, only one of the runs were earned, thanks in part to another misplay by Gibbons, a dropped fly ball, this one scored an error. Kershaw only lasted four innings on the day, allowing six runs, walking four, and striking out only two.
Octavio Dotel made his first appearance with Colorado in the seventh, striking out Casey Blake to end the inning.
Notes
- Jamey Carroll's pinch-hit single in the fourth inning was his 400th plate appearance of the season, earning him a contract bonus of $75,000.
- Hong-Chih Kuo pitched two scoreless innings in his first outing in eight days
- Jonathan Broxton started the 11th inning, but struggled mightily again, walking three batters for the second straight appearance. Over his last four games, Broxton has walked eight in 3 1/3 innings.
- Blake has three hits in his last 39 at-bats, with 20 strikeouts
- Ronald Belisario pitched two scoreless innings today, and has retired 23 of the 27 batters he has faced
- Rod Barajas was in the midst of an 0-for-11 skid, but ended the spell with two singles today
- The starting Dodger infield of James Loney, Ryan Theriot, Furcal, and Blake had a collective 11 hits in 83 at-bats this week, a .133 batting average.
- Russ Mitchell, who homered Saturday, is the first Los Angeles Dodger ever to have home runs as the first two hits of his career, per Dave Smith of Retrosheet
- Matt Belisle, who pitched the sixth inning (plus one batter, Kemp, who homered, in the seventh) for the Rockies, leads MLB with 87 innings in relief this season
The Dodgers have Monday off, but host San Diego for three games starting Tuesday night, with Chad Billingsley facing Clayton Richard.
WP - George Sherrill (2-2): 1 batter, 1 strikeout
LP - Manny Delcarmen (3-4): 1/3 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk