It was that kind of game — James Loney drove in two of his three runs without even taking the bat off his shoulder.
Loney drew two bases-loaded walks in one game, the second in the bottom of the ninth to score Manny Ramirez and give the Dodgers a 5-4 victory, the Dodger’s fourth straight win.
Unfortunately, the pitching win doesn’t go to Clayton Kershaw, who threw seven innings of one hit, one run ball while striking out 13. Every Giants starter save one struck out in the game, and the Dodgers had 16 Ks total.
That one Giant who didn’t strike out on the night was Aaron Rowand — who hit the three-run home run in the eighth inning that gave the Giants a 4-2 lead. Those runs came off Dodger relievers Hong-Chih Kuo and Ronald Belisario in the eighth, and it looked like the Dodgers could be headed for a loss.
Then in the eighth Andre Ethier singled then Russell Martin walked up and doubled, putting med on second and third. Loney then picked up his one RBI gotten using his bat with a sacrifice fly that scored Ethier and moved Martin to third. Matt Kemp then singled up the middle to tie the game.
Dodger closer Jonathon Broxton then came in and shut the Giants down in the top of the ninth, looking comfortable in his role at the end of games.
In the Dodger ninth, Orlando Hudson singled (upping his average to .368 on the season) and that was followed by a Manny Ramirez single. The Giants then decided they would rather face Russell Martin than Either, so they walked him to load the bases. Then they brought in closer Brian Wilson. It worked for one batter when Martin grounded into a force out at home (leaving the bases loaded).
Loney then drew his second RBI walk of the night and got the win, not biting on a breaking ball that sunk low and out of the strike zone.
Coming into the season, the question mark was supposed to be the Dodgers starting pitching. But in the two games so far this season at Dodger Stadium, the Dodger starters have struck out 24 batters. Keep up anything near that pace and this should be a fun summer in Chavez Ravine.
