100 Things Dodgers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Jon Weisman Page B
Authors: Jon Weisman
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How many people sold their souls to swing this one?
Monday, September 18, 2006. The Dodgers had just dropped two games in a row at home to San Diego to fall a half-game behind the Padres in the NL West with two weeks of regular-season play remaining. They had scored three runs in those previous two contests, which made their task all the more daunting once they found themselves down 4â0 in the first inning to Peavy, who in 10 previous starts against the Dodgers had a 1.66 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 65 innings.
But the Dodgers managed to make Peavy look human for once; perhaps he was rattled by an on-field shouting match with Dodger first-base coach Mariano Duncan in the bottom of the first. By the bottom of the third, they had tied the game, thanks to Jeff Kent (who drove in one run and scored another with a pair of doubles) and a small-print August 31 acquisition, Marlon Anderson, who homered in the second inning.
If this all seemed too good to be true to Dodgers fans, it was. Even after getting Peavy out of the game and loading the bases with one out in the sixth inning, the Dodgers couldnât take the lead. Then, the whole idea of completing the comeback became a farce, an apparition. Against the Dodgersâ top two relievers, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito, San Diego scored a total of five runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Anderson tripled (his fourth hit) and scored in the bottom of the eighth, but still the Dodgers trailed 9â5 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
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On September 18, 2006, the Dodgers hit home runs back to back (to back to back) against Trevor Hoffman and the San Diego Padres to tie a game 9â9 in the bottom of the ninth. Another homer in the 10th by Nomar Garciaparra pushed the Dodgers to an 11â10 victory.
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And then, magic . On the second pitch from Padres reliever Jon Adkins, Kent homers over the center-field wall. A strike and two balls later, J.D. Drew crushes one deep into the right-field bleachers. Hoffman enters. Rookie Russell Martin homers on his first offering. And on the very next pitch, unbelievably, Anderson does the same. A 9â9 tie. A 5-for-5 night for Anderson. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back back back back back backs. Four straight home runsâthe first time that had happened in the majors in 42 years, and the only time it ever happened in the bottom of the ninth.
And still it wasnât over. Padres catcher Josh Bard singled in Brian Giles in the top of the 10 th inning, threatening to make this comeback of all comebacks go for naught. But as easy as it was to give up on the Dodgers in the first and in the ninth, it was impossible for fans to surrender now.
In the bottom of the 10 th , Dodger center fielder Kenny Lofton worked out a leadoff walk from Rudy Seanez. Nomar Garciaparra, who had struck out in the bottom of the eighth with two runners on, worked the count to 3â1.
One swing. Nirvana. âA high fly ball to left field,â calls Vin Scully, âIt is a-way out andâ¦gone! The Dodgers win it 11â10! Ha ha haâunbelievable!â And later: âI forgot to tell youâthe Dodgers are in first place.â
It became, from start to finish, the most incredible game in Los Angeles history.
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Hitless Wonders
The ball cued off Matt Kempâs bat like a trick shot from a pool shark, rolling about 50 feet up the first base line before suddenly darting under the glove of Angels pitcher Jered Weaver. Weaver still had the time and opportunity to make the play but was unable to before Kemp reached first base on what was ruled an error.
With the game scoreless in the fifth inning, Kemp took off for second base. The throw from catcher Jeff Mathis sailed into center field for another Angel error, allowing Kemp to head over to third. Blake DeWitt hit a fly ball to fairly deep right field, but even an on-the-money one-hopper from Vladimir Guerrero couldnât keep Kemp from scoring on the sacrifice
Monday, September 18, 2006. The Dodgers had just dropped two games in a row at home to San Diego to fall a half-game behind the Padres in the NL West with two weeks of regular-season play remaining. They had scored three runs in those previous two contests, which made their task all the more daunting once they found themselves down 4â0 in the first inning to Peavy, who in 10 previous starts against the Dodgers had a 1.66 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 65 innings.
But the Dodgers managed to make Peavy look human for once; perhaps he was rattled by an on-field shouting match with Dodger first-base coach Mariano Duncan in the bottom of the first. By the bottom of the third, they had tied the game, thanks to Jeff Kent (who drove in one run and scored another with a pair of doubles) and a small-print August 31 acquisition, Marlon Anderson, who homered in the second inning.
If this all seemed too good to be true to Dodgers fans, it was. Even after getting Peavy out of the game and loading the bases with one out in the sixth inning, the Dodgers couldnât take the lead. Then, the whole idea of completing the comeback became a farce, an apparition. Against the Dodgersâ top two relievers, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito, San Diego scored a total of five runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Anderson tripled (his fourth hit) and scored in the bottom of the eighth, but still the Dodgers trailed 9â5 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Â
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On September 18, 2006, the Dodgers hit home runs back to back (to back to back) against Trevor Hoffman and the San Diego Padres to tie a game 9â9 in the bottom of the ninth. Another homer in the 10th by Nomar Garciaparra pushed the Dodgers to an 11â10 victory.
Â
And then, magic . On the second pitch from Padres reliever Jon Adkins, Kent homers over the center-field wall. A strike and two balls later, J.D. Drew crushes one deep into the right-field bleachers. Hoffman enters. Rookie Russell Martin homers on his first offering. And on the very next pitch, unbelievably, Anderson does the same. A 9â9 tie. A 5-for-5 night for Anderson. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back back back back back backs. Four straight home runsâthe first time that had happened in the majors in 42 years, and the only time it ever happened in the bottom of the ninth.
And still it wasnât over. Padres catcher Josh Bard singled in Brian Giles in the top of the 10 th inning, threatening to make this comeback of all comebacks go for naught. But as easy as it was to give up on the Dodgers in the first and in the ninth, it was impossible for fans to surrender now.
In the bottom of the 10 th , Dodger center fielder Kenny Lofton worked out a leadoff walk from Rudy Seanez. Nomar Garciaparra, who had struck out in the bottom of the eighth with two runners on, worked the count to 3â1.
One swing. Nirvana. âA high fly ball to left field,â calls Vin Scully, âIt is a-way out andâ¦gone! The Dodgers win it 11â10! Ha ha haâunbelievable!â And later: âI forgot to tell youâthe Dodgers are in first place.â
It became, from start to finish, the most incredible game in Los Angeles history.
Â
Hitless Wonders
The ball cued off Matt Kempâs bat like a trick shot from a pool shark, rolling about 50 feet up the first base line before suddenly darting under the glove of Angels pitcher Jered Weaver. Weaver still had the time and opportunity to make the play but was unable to before Kemp reached first base on what was ruled an error.
With the game scoreless in the fifth inning, Kemp took off for second base. The throw from catcher Jeff Mathis sailed into center field for another Angel error, allowing Kemp to head over to third. Blake DeWitt hit a fly ball to fairly deep right field, but even an on-the-money one-hopper from Vladimir Guerrero couldnât keep Kemp from scoring on the sacrifice
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