Three Long Balls, Strong Bullpen back Greinke, Giving Dodgers Winning Home Stand, Hanley leaves Game With Hand Contusion

The Kings brought the Stanley Cup to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday evening, as they make their victory rounds across the southland. Everyone took awe at the King’s incredible accomplishment this season. Hopefully the cup inspires the Dodgers to make a run at the Giants, and put together a winning streak.

Maybe it worked? The Dodgers were able to hang on to beat Colorado by a score of 4-2. The game gives the Dodgers not only a series win, but their first winning home stand of the season. Hard to believe but it’s true.

Rockies   2 11 1

Dodgers  4 8 1

WP-Greinke-9-3

LP-Chacin-1-5

SV-Jansen-20

HR-Hanley-11-Kemp-7-Triunfel-1

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Although the win wouldn’t be a Dodger win unless somebody got hurt. Hanley Ramirez had to be removed from the game in the top of the seventh, after he was hit on the hand by a Dickerson chopper. Hanley was removed from the game, and we won’t know much more on his condition until tomorrow. Suffice to say I would think his hand would be pretty bruised up. Although we’re hearing that x-rays were thankfully negative. Nothing broken. Carlos Triunfel came into the game at shortstop and hit a home run. It was one of three long balls for the Dodgers tonight.

The three home runs were enough to back Greinke, who pitched well, despite Colorado fouling off a lot of pitches to run his pitch count up. Greinke made 117 pitches, but could only go six frames. He allowed one run on six hits, whiffed five and walked two.

Mound opponent Jhoulys Chacin, allowed three earned runs on seven hits in six frames, and takes the loss.

The Dodger bullpen came through with flying colors, staving off two late Colorado rallies. Brandon League had to pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, and Brian Wilson got a key double play in the top of the eighth to preserve the Dodger lead. Closer Kenley Jansen ran into trouble in the ninth, but was able to hang on for the save.

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers scored two runs in the third, when Rojas singled, and Hanley bombed an opposite field two-run home run to put the Dodgers up 2-0. Matt Kemp added a solo home run in the fourth, to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. After Colorado got to within one run, Triunfel hit his first major league home run, and first home run since 2012 when he was with Tacoma.

Despite a lot of pitches, and a Gordon missed catch error in that sketchy seventh inning, the Dodgers were able to hang on for the win. Here’s how it happened…..

Greinke has to make a “million dollar pitch” to get out of the top of the first. After he allowed two hits. Charlie Blackmon grounded out. But Dickerson and Tulowitzki both single to put runners at first and second. Justin Morneau lines out to Puig. His throw back to first is wide and offline. Greinke makes an alert play to back up the errant throw. Then Greinke takes it the rest of the way. He whiffs Drew Stubbs on a called third strike.

The Dodgers foolishly run themselves right out of an inning in the bottom of the second. Chacin starts the frame by whiffing both Gonzalez and Kemp. Ethier then singles to left. A.J. Ellis singles up the middle, as Chacin falls down on the mound trying to stop the ball. With Miguel Rojas at the plate, Ethier goes to third, and is thrown out easily by Colorado catcher Wilin Rosario. Was that a missed hit and run play? Either way the Dodgers are run out of the inning.

The Dodgers score first in the bottom of the third. Rojas leads-off with a single to left.Greinke tries to bunt, but strikes out. Then Rojas moves to second on Gordon’s grounder. With two outs, Hanley bombs one just over the right field wall for a two-run home run. Dodgers lead 2-0!

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Greinke blows through the top of the fourth, with some help from Puig. Morneau whiffs, Stubbs grounds out. Puig makes a diving catch on Rosario’s sinking liner.

The Dodgers tack on one more run in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Kemp’s lead-off home run to left puts the Dodgers up 3-0. That’s Kemp’s seventh home run of the year. Ethier walks and then is thrown out trying to steal again. For the second time tonight.

The Dodgers have trouble in the top of the fifth, but Greinke gets out of it. Ryan Wheeler whiffs. LeMahieu lines out. Chacin singles to center. Blackmon singles too, but Dickerson whiffs to end the frame.

Colorado gets a look at the game in the top of the sixth, but the Dodgers and Greinke battle to get out of it. Tulowitzki singles to center, and takes second on a wild pitch. Morneau is walked. Then Stubbs loads the bases with a bloop single to left. Rosario’s sacrifice fly to right scores Tulo, and Morneau and Stubbs both advance. The Dodgers lead 3-1. Greinke then whiffs Wheeler. After a lengthy nine-pitch battle with LeMahieu, he throws a breaking ball to get him to tap back to the box. Greinke made 30 pitches in the frame, and the Dodgers hold onto the lead.

The Dodgers load the bases in the bottom of the sixth off of Chacin, but can’t score. An error on Tulo, (only his fourth all season), a walk to AJ, and an infield single to Rojas loaded them up. But pinch-hitter Justin Turner pops up.

Left hander J.P. Howell takes over on the mound in the top of the seventh, and starts giving up hits. A line drive double to Rutledge. Blackmon’s grounder moves Rutledge to third. Then Dickerson’s hard chopper goes off Hanley’s hand and bounces into the outfield. Rutledge jogs home to score. It’s 3-2 Dodgers. Dickerson takes second on the play. Hanley has to leave the game in extreme pain. Looks like his hand. That means CarlosTriunfel has to come and play short. WithTulodue up,Mattingly hooks Howell. Brandon League is brought in to faceTulowitzki. League getsTulo to ground to Rojas, holding Rutledge at second.

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Uh-oh-Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Morneau is intentionally walked. Stubbs hits a routine grounder to second and Gordon flubs it. Everyone is safe on the error, and the bases are loaded. League gets Rosario to ground into a force out, and the Dodgers escape with the lead. The score is still 3-2 Dodgers.

Tommy Khanle comes into pitch the bottom of the seventh. Carlos Triunfel who is playing for the injured Hanley, slugs his first major league home run. A line shot over the low wall in left field. The solo home run gives the Dodgers a 4-2 lead.

Brian Wilson comes in to pitch the top of the eighth. He walks Wheeler, and then falls behind 3-2 on LeMahieu, but gets him to ground into a 3-6 double play, with Gonzo going to the first base bag, and Triunfel making the tag on the runner. That was crucial as Brandon Barnesbloops a single over Gordon’s leaping glove.Blackmon pops out to Gordon to end the inning. The Dodgers escape again.

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Move to the top of the ninth, with the Dodgers leading 4-2. Enter Kenley Jansen for the save. Dickerson and Tulowitzki both single to put the tying runs on base. Morneau pops out for the first out. Pinch-hitter Kyle Parker is called out on strikes, and then Kenley whiffs Rosario for the last out. The Dodgers win!

The victory puts the Dodgers within five games of first place, coupled with San Francisco’s loss to the White Sox earlier today.

Are the Dodgers finally starting to get hot? It will take some more consistent winning to convince me. But so far I like how they’ve been playing this week.

The Dodgers will go for the sweep, as the home stand concludes Wednesday Evening. Left hander Jorge De La Rosa counters Clayton Kershaw in the series finale at 7:10 PM.