The Dodgers get an offensive outburst in the first inning, scoring four runs of Paul Byrd and are able to hold up the lead for the win, avoiding the sweep.
Chad Billingsley got the win, he's 6-7. Paul Byrd was hit with the loss, he's 3-8. Takashi Saito picked up his 11th save.
Billingsley struggled to get through five innings, but he made it through, giving up only three runs while striking out four. The bullpen combined to pitch four scoreless innings to shut down the Indians the rest of the way.
The Dodgers scored all four of their runs in the first inning. Juan Pierre led off with a single. Matt Kemp followed with a ground-rule double. James Loney doubled after that to bring in Pierre and Kemp. Russell Martin followed with a homerun halfway up the bleachers in left to make the score 4-0.
The Dodgers were shut down for much of the rest of the game, collected a few assorted base hits, but the four runs were enough to hold up for the win.
There was also an important defensive play. In the top of the 5th inning, with the Dodgers leading 4-3 and Jhonny Peralta on first base, David Dellucci hit a double down the right field line. Andre Ethier cut off the ball and fired it in, the relay came home to Martin and he tagged out Peralta coming to the plate, keeping the lead for the Dodgers. Overall, it was a tough win for the Dodgers, but a win nonetheless. They'll face the Chicago White Sox for a three game series starting Tuesday.
A game that started as a pitching duel ending with an offensive explosion from the Indians in the 11th inning as they deal the Dodgers their second loss in the series in extra innings.
Masa Kobayashi got the win, he's 4-3. Cory Wade took the loss, he's 0-1.
Chan Ho Park, in somewhat of a spot start, pitched excellent. He went five innings, striking out nine and giving up one run. The one run, however, came on a solo homerun given up to C.C. Sabathia in his first at bat of the year. He demolished a fastball in the 3rd inning that went sailing into the Indians bullpen to make the score 1-0. The Indians would not score again until they plated six runs in 11th inning of Cory Wade, Scott Proctor, and Ramon Troncoso.
The Dodgers offense was held in check again by a strong left handed pitcher. C.C. Sabathia struck out 10 over seven innings giving up only one run as well. His only mistake came in the 6th inning when he gave up a solo homerun to Matt Kemp to tie the score at 1-1. The Dodgers would not score again until the bottom of the 11th inning when the score was already 7-1. Russell Martin collected three hits and scored a run. James Loney had two hits, including the RBI double in the 11th inning.
The last two games were oddly similar. Both games had the Dodgers shut down by a good left handed pitcher. Both games had the Dodgers fall behind early only to tie it up and lose the game in extra innings. And both games were very winable. It was very interesting to me that had Chan Ho Park not left a hanging pitch to the pitcher Sabathia in the third inning, the Dodgers could have very well shutout the Indians and won the game 1-0. That's an unfortunate loss. The Dodgers will try to get one win out of this series when they take on Paul Byrd at 1:10 L.A. time on Sunday.
The Indians scored two runs off Takashi Saito in the 10th inning to take the lead after the Dodgers plated two runs in the 8th and 9th inning each to tie the game.
Joe Borowski got the win, he's 1-2. Takashi Saito took the loss, he's 3-3. Masa Kobayashi collected the save, his 4th.
Clayton Kershaw pitched a sub-par game, and while he struck out five, he walked three and gave up four hits, including a two run homerun to Kelly Shoppach, and gave up four runs overall. The bullpen pitched four shutout innings after that, before Saito gave up two runs on an RBI double to Jhonny Peralta.
The Dodgers on offense meanwhile, were suffciently shut down by Cliff Lee until the 8th inning. They were then able to string together some hits to score two runs. They followed that up by scoring two more runs in the 9th inning of Indian closer Joe Borowski. Offensively, Jeff Kent had the best game for the Dodgers. He collected three hits in five at-bats and knocked in two of the four Dodger runs.
It doesn't get any easier for the Dodgers. They'll face another tough lefty, C.C. Sabathia, in Saturday's game.
The Dodgers were shut down for much of the rest of the game, collected a few assorted base hits, but the four runs were enough to hold up for the win.
