Fedex Helps Deliver A Dodger Comeback In Wild Win Over Snakes

The Dodgers may be last in the standings but they lead the league in most brawls participated. The two clubs came to blows after a seventh inning beaning of Zack Greinke preceded a benches clearing brawl and punches thrown. This time the Dodgers were not going to just sit there and let Greinke get tackled like last time. Some punches were thrown, Don Mattingly made an impressive take down, but otherwise nobody was hurt, and peace was restored.

This was after Greinke had plunked Cody Ross. In which the Dbacks retaliated to hit Dodger rookie Yasiel Puig in the nose. He would be ok and stayed in the game, but was ejected during the brawl. Greinke then hit Montero in the seventh. That caused Arizona’s Ian Kennedy to hit Greinke in the head with a pitch. Again, thank goodness he was ok too. Kirk Gibson, Puig, Kennedy, and Dodger hitting coach Mark Mcgwire were all ejected in the Dodger’s 5-3 win over Arizona.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher

(51) is held back as players confront the the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Benches clear after Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) is hit by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ian Kennedy (31) in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Getting back to baseball here, the game was a tense back and forth battle that began with a pitching duel between Greinke and Ian Kennedy. Both pitchers allowed just one hit through four frames. Arizona broke the scoreless tie in the fifth, when Cody Ross was plunked by a pitch, and Jason Kubel homered into the Arizona bullpen. The Dodgers tied the game at 2-2 when Puig was hit in the face by kennedy in the sixth, and Andre Ethier followed with a two-run home run of his own.

Of course Arizona took the lead 3-2 in the top of the eighth, when  Pollack doubled, Parra walked, and Willie Bloomquist’s RBI single scored the go-ahead run for the Snakes off of Matt Guerrier, and J.P. Howell.

But the Dodgers finally were able to get what I believe is their first come from behind rally win of the season. They did this in the bottom of the eighth, when they scored three runs off of the Arizona bullpen. David Hernandez’s walkapalooza led to three unanswered Dodger runs. Hernandez walked Adrian Gonzalez, Ethier, and Uribe. Tim Federowicz’s line drive double off the top of the wall in left field cleared the bases to give the Dodgers a 5-3 lead, and eventual win. Which they were able to hold onto as Kenley Jansen closed the door in the ninth. (See Brandon it’s not that hard to do)

It only took the Dodgers two months of blown games and terrible pitching before they finally came to their senses and demoted Brandon League from the closer role. Or at least that’s what the club announced this afternoon. Kenley Jansen will be the closer once again. The team also announced several roster moves before their game with the Dbacks.

Scott Van Slyke was placed on the DL with shoulder bursitis. He obtained the injury after making a sliding catch on May 25. The Dodgers in turn, optioned Justin Sellers back to Albuquerque. Why he was recalled to make on at-bat is beyond me? So the Dodgers recalled outfielder Alex Castellanos, and pitcher Chris Withrow. Castellanos will fill in for Van Slyke’s spot, and Withrow will be used out of the bullpen. The injuries never end do they?

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero (26) attends to Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) after he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) is looked at by medical staff after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers tried to bounce back in the second game against the Snakes, after last night’s debacle, and were finally able to mount a come from behind win despite a game filled with craziness.

The Dodgers turned to Zack Greinke to get them a win, while Arizona countered with Ian Kennedy. The snakes have owned the Dodgers this season. They have won seven out of eight from the Dodgers, and 16 of the last 20. Plus Ian Kennedy has never lost at Dodger Stadium before. Joy!

The two pitchers dueled for the first four innings, exchanging zeroes. Both teams only had one hit through those first four frames. Greinke had whiffed five, and Kennedy had retired 12 in a row at one point.

The Dodgers got a scare in the bottom of the second. Yasiel Puig grounded out and appeared to injure his leg while running to first. He was seen talking to trainer Sue Falsone, and disappeared into the clubhouse for a few minutes. Luckily he was alright, came back out and stayed in the game. I think if Puig had been hurt, Dodger fans would have committed Harry Carry.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier (16) hits a two run home run in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

With the game scoreless, and both teams with only a lone hit, the snakes finally broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the fifth. In that frame, Cody Ross was hit by a pitch, and then Jason Kubel hit a two-run home run into the Arizona bullpen. That made the score 2-0 Arizona.

Of course the Dodgers tried to score in the bottom of the fifth. Key phrase here is tried to score. After Juan Uribe led off with a whiff, Tim Federowicz singled, and Luis Cruz walked. Greinke was ordered to bunt, and as usual was unable to do so, popping out. Skip Schumaker drew a well earned walk to load the bases. With Kennedy on the verge of a meltdown, not surprisingly, the Dodgers choked once again with the bases loaded. How many times have we seen that? Punto whiffs and angrily slams his bat down. The Dodgers still trail 2-0.

The Dodgers get a huge scare in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Kennedy hits Puig in the face with a pitch. Puig goes down, and our hearts all stop for a minute. It appears Puig was hit in the nose, and is ok. He gets up and stays in the game and trots down to first. Phew! Not cool Ian Kennedy! The Dodgers would get their revenge later.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Tim Federowicz (18) hits a three run RBI double in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Next, Andre Ethier drills a line drive two-run home run just over the right field wall to tie the game at 2-2. Both home runs now have come after a batter was hit by a pitch. That’s Ethier’s fifth home run of the season.

The Dodgers retaliate for Puig’s beaning in the top of the seventh. Miguel Montero is hit in the back with a Greinke pitch, and the tempers flare. The benches cleared for a few minutes, and we all were expecting to see another ugly brawl. Thank goodness level heads prevailed and nothing happened. After Cody Ross flies out to left, Kubel walks. Marti prado bounces into a double play to end the inning.

The bottom of the seventh is where things get wild. With one out, Greinke is hit in the head by a pitch. Don’t worry he was ok, but Ian Kennedy was instantly ejected. After that, the benches clear, and the punches were flying. Don Mattingly was seen tackling someone. Belisario was throwing punches, and both clubs out on the field against the Arizona dugout railing. The melee was eventually cleared up, and nobody was hurt thankfully. Brad Ziegler replaced the ejected Kennedy.

Ziegler gets Schumaker to ground into a force.  Jason Kubel already homered earlier in the game and makes a great diving catch on Nick Punto’s sinking liner to end the bottom of the seventh.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier (16) is greeted by right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) after he hits a two run home run in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.-Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

So apparently Puig was ejected, so Alex Castellanos is put into right field in his place in the top of the eighth. Left hander J.P. Howell comes in to pitch for Greinke. He gets Didi Gregorius to pop out. Pinch-hitter A.J. Pollack doubles, and Parra walks. Out comes Mattingly again, (no he wasn’t ejected for some reason) In comes Matt Guerrier from the bullpen. Willie Bloomquist’s RBI single to left gives the Snakes the 3-2 lead.

The Dodgers take the lead in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a walkapalooza from David Hernandez. The right hander walks Gonzo, Ethier, and Uribe to load the bases. Tim Federowicz makes his biggest delivery of the season with a three-run double off of the top of the left field wall. Dodgers lead 5-3!

We move to the top of the ninth. Our new old closer Jansen comes in and shuts the door, like a real closer is supposed to do. Jansen whiffs Ross and Kubel. Prado flies out, and the Dodgers finally win, and beat the Snakes! Score 5-3.

I am spent so that’s about it from me for tonight. We’ll have to wait and see if any suspensions come down from the league. In the meantime the Dodgers celebrate a badly needed win during a chaotic game. Don’t miss the rubber game tomorrow, which is bound to be just as crazy as the first two games of this wild series. Nine game winner Patrick Corbin will duel Hyun-jin Ryu tomorrow night at 7:10 PM. We’ll be here to recap it all for you. Win or lose, rain or shine. Go Blue.