The Dodgers won their fifth in a row Sunday afternoon, defeating the Rockies 7 – 1. Josh Beckett got his second win as a Dodger, scattering six hits over six innings and giving up just one run, a home run by Andrew Brown. Matt Kemp, AJ Ellis, and Luis Cruz each hit two-run home runs for the Dodgers.
Fun fact: “Five of Ellis’ 12 home runs and 18 of his 50 RBIs have come against the Rockies.”
The Cardinals, by winning today, keep their two-game advantage for Wild Card #2. They see Cincinnati come in to St. Louis to play three games, and the Reds are trying to secure home-field advantage, so they’re probably not going to roll over. If they manage to beat the Cards two out of three and the Dodgers sweep the Giants there’d be a single-game playoff to break a tie for the Wild Card spot. If the Reds sweep and the Dodgers sweep, the Dodgers, almost unbelievably after the last month of inept play, would get to play the winner of Wild Card #1 in a single game for the right to go on to the NLDS. The winner of that wild card appears in all likelihood to be the Braves, who remain three games in back of the Nationals for the NL East title with three games to go. Their opponent for those last three games will be the collapsing Pirates, so a sweep isn’t out of the question. The Nationals play three against the Phillies. With a magic number of one, all they have to do is beat the Philadelphians once.
It should be an exciting next three days. And I haven’t even written anything about the American League playoff situation, which is still as muddled as it can be!
As you said, the Dodgers have won 5 in a row. Here’s hoping they can win the next 5 in a row as well (3 against the Gnats, possible tie-breaker game, wild-card play-in game).
Fun to watch them finally hit their stride
Agree! “Fun” hasn’t been used much to describe the Dodgers this 2nd half.
At least we are still a chance
That’s spelled “G-n-a-t-s.”
Matty’s dinger pace would have fetched him 36 over 162, versus the 39 in 161 last year. Not 50, but not too shabby given the injuries.
Of course, the way he is hitting them currently – a hr (or 2!)/game – could up the average, even given that there are only 3 games left.
I am counting on it!