The object of much scorn by Dodger fans ever since he donned a Dodger uniform for the second time, Dioner Navarro made them cheer for him with a bases loaded game winning single in the bottom of the ninth to get the Dodgers started on their path back to respectability.
This game was the Dodger blue print for the 2011 season. Solid starting pitching, solo home runs, shutdown relief work, walk off hits, and for one game they did it to perfection.
James Loney started off the unlikely hero list with his bomb to the back of the bullpen to put the Dodgers up 1 - 0. Garland was a bit unsteady but with the help of some double plays kept the Marlins at bay until the 6th inning when they finally broke through for a run to tie the game.
The second unlikely hero was Andre Ethier who broke the tie with his own bomb in the bottom of the 6th. Andre had been in a severe slump before hitting the fence on Monday and sitting on Tues/Wednesday. His first at bat he struck out flailing, took a walk in the second, then Boom Boom, Dodger lead.
Garland was trotted out for the 7th but was pulled in favor of Scott Elbert who promptly got the double play the Dodgers needed to keep the lead at 2 - 1.
Latest Dodgers sensation Rubby De La Rosa was then brought in to hold the lead in the 8th but it was not to be. He walked Hanley Ramirez, Ramirez then stole second, Logan Morrison hit a rocket right to Loney for out number one. Gaby Sanchez then roped a single into left field but Ramirez had to hold at 3rd because he hit it to hard. With 1st / 3rd one out, Greg Dobbs tied the game with a single to left field, which got Sanchez to 3rd base.
Then Gaby Sanchez got too smart for himself, on a foul ball, Loney makes a lean in catch, flips the ball to Rubby and then Sanchez breaks for home, and is easily out in a quick pickle. Dodgers go down weakly in the 8th so Rubby comes back out for the 9th and as hittable as he looked in the 8th he was anything but that in the 9th, firing 98MPH bullets right by the Marlins, setting them down 1 - 2 - 3.
The 9th started out with an infield single from Casey Blake who was barely safe on a great play from Hanley. Andre then shot a rocket into right field, when Mike Stanton mishandled the single, Casey Blake sprinted to 3rd. Matt Kemp was intentionally walked forcing Mattingly to use a pinch hitter for Rubby.
Donny looked around his bench ignored Jerry Sands and choose Dioner Navarro for the task. The groans could be heard from Hollywood to Arkansas as the Marlins put together a five man infield to combat the threat. Navarro was easily up to the task drilling a two ball count into CF for the game winning hit giving Rubby his first of many Major League Victories