Orange is the New Black: Rivalry Hotter Than Ever in 4-2 Dodger Win Over Giants

The rivalry is real. The Dodgers and Giants engaged in an extremely heated contest at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. After the Dodgers lost in an epically disappointing 13-inning game on Monday night, they came out with their bats ablazin’ against Madison Bumgarner in the first inning of Tuesday’s important game. The Dodgers have typically had trouble against the San Francisco ace, but they got to Madison early thanks to two big homeruns from Justin Turner and a Bison Blast from birthday boy Matt Kemp.

Tensions were running high, and Bumgarner and Puig nearly fueled a brawl in the first frame after MadBum hit Puig with a pitch infuriating the center fielder. The Dodgers got their revenge on the baseball diamond instead of using their fists, but Bumgarner got the Giants right back into the game with a two-run homerun in the third inning off Greinke. Greinke made a gutsy start, and the ace really gave the Dodgers his all in this key game against their rivals.

The star of the night was none other than Justin Turner who hit two homeruns off Madison Bumgarner and chased him out of the eighth inning. Turner has been the unsung hero for the Dodgers this season, and the red head is simply on fire.

Dodgers 4 6 0

Giants 2 7 0

WP- Greinke (16-8)

LP- Bumgarner (18-10)

S- Jansen (44)

HR- Turner 2 (7), Kemp (24), Bumgarner (4)

Gregor Blanco once again annoying the Dodgers right away, and he led off the top of the first with a single just over Hanley’s glove. Uribe handled Joe Panik‘s pop out in foul territory for the first out of the game. With Buster Posey at the plate, A.J. Ellis gunned down Blanco attempting to steal second. Buster Posey hit a little nubber right in front of the plate, and A.J. Ellis tagged out Posey who just stood there.

Justin Turner made Madison Bumgarner all bummed out with a big lead-off solo homerun to left field! Turner has just been fantastic for the Dodgers this season. The Blue took an early 1-0 lead. Bumgarner then proceeded to hit Puig in the feet making him fall which angered Puig immensely. Puig and Bumgarner have a bad history after they got fired up earlier in the season after Bumgarner yelled out at Puig after he hit a homerun against him. Both benches cleared after Puig took off his helmet and began to advance toward the mound after Bumgarner began hollering at him when he was down on the ground. Bumgarner threw down his glove, and he looked like he was ready to take on Puig. I think we all know who would win that fight…Luckily everything settled down before a brawl ensued. No one was ejected.

Adrian Gonzalez flied out to Blanco in center for the first out of the inning. Birthday boy Matt Kemp then blasted a two-run homerun to center field, and the Dodgers took a 3-0 lead! Kemp stared down Bumgarner when he rounded the bases. Good stuff! Hanley popped out, and Scott Van Slyke singled to left field with two outs. Juan Uribe singled past Brandon Crawford into left field for the fifth Dodger hit of the inning off the scuffling Bumgarner. The inning finally ended when A.J. Ellis grounded out to third, but not before the Dodgers notched three against Bumgarner who made 36 pitches in the inning.

Pablo Sandoval nearly took Greinke’s head off with a single up the middle in the top of the second, but it was quickly erased when Hunter Pence grounded into a double play. Greinke struck out Brandon Belt to end the quick scoreless inning.

Sep 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Turner nearly hit a second homerun in the bottom of the second, but Hunter Pence made an ice cream cone catch against the right field wall for the second out of the inning. Bumgarner was cursing and yelling from the mound. The Dodgers went down in order this time against Madison.

Madison Bumgarner was extremely fired up. He got a little bit of revenge in the top of the third by hitting a two-run homerun off Greinke to left center field. That was Bumgarner’s fourth homerun of the season, and the Dodger lead was cut down to one run, 3-2.

Bumgarner settled down, and he retired the Dodgers in order in the bottom of the third.

Zack Greinke countered with a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the top of the fourth.

Scott Van Slyke dunked a single into center field in front of Blanco who recovered to make a quick throw to second to initially tag out SVS. The outfielder took a gamble by trying to stretch out his single into a double. Don Mattingly challenged the call on the tag, but the call was upheld. The Dodgers ended up going down 1-2-3 again.

Scott Van Slyke made a great diving catch to rob Juan Perez of a base hit in the top of the fifth. Greinke was cruising now, and the Giants went down in order again against the right-hander.

Buster Posey singled with two outs in the sixth, but the Giants couldn’t get any more traction against Greinke in the inning.

Both pitchers were locked in. Greinke struck out Pence and Belt during a perfect seventh inning.

That exciting first inning seemed so long ago. Bumgarner shut down the Dodgers thereafter, and they went down in order again in the bottom of the seventh. He retired 18 of 19 since that costly first inning when Puig flustered him.

Greinke struck out Bumgarner who was still in to bat in the top of the eighth. Bumgarner swung out of his cleats on the third strike.

Zack Greinke pitched 8 innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and no walks on 118 pitches.

Sep 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Justin Turner (10) hits a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Turner, guys. Madison Bumgarner got stung again by the raucous red head in the bottom of the eighth. Turner hit his second homerun off MadBum, a solo shot to left field, and the Dodgers took a 4-2 lead. Bruce Bochy had to hook Bumgarner, and he brought in Sergio Romo to take over. Puig struck out against Romo, and Gonzo popped out to end the inning.

Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 1/3 inning and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and no walks on 116 pitches.

Even though Kenley Jansen had pitched in two consecutive games, the closer was in to shut the door on the Giants in the top of the ninth. Darwin Barney, who stayed in the game to play second base, made a fine play to retire Panik for the first out. Posey singled to right. The Panda grounded out to first. Kemp took care of the final fly ball hit by Pence which was fitting since he was the birthday boy!

The Dodgers improve to 90-68 on the season. Their *Magic Number is now 1*. Wednesday’s final game of the regular season between the Dodgers and Giants will feature Clayton Kershaw versus Tim Hudson as the Dodgers go for the division crown.