The Braves nibbled away against Bill Singer and scored solo runs every other inning to bring a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 8th. Brave starter Jim Nash was removed for a pinch hitter (Dusty Baker) in the 7th and veteran Pat Jarvis (9-10, 3.97) was brought on in relief. With time running short in this game and in this season the Dodgers needed some sort of miracle. A 3 run 8th inning qualified as such. With 2 out in the 8th Willie Davis reached first thanks to a fielding error by Earl Williams, who was playing out of position (he's usually a catcher). Davis stole second and was immediately doubled home by Allen. Wes Parker was given an intentional pass to create a force at any base. Jarvis needed to get rookie catcher, Joe Ferguson out. He couldn't. Ferguson lined an opposite field hit to score both runners who were on the move, and just like that the game was now tied at 4. With Bill Singer long gone, Jose Pena (7-3, 1.63) was tasked with keeping the Braves at bay. Pena was more than up for the task as he tossed 1 2/3 innings of no run ball. Jarvis, who was still reeling from his 8th inning debacle was sent back out to the hill for the 9th. Feeling the game would go extra innings and knowing that Pena could go another 3 or 4 innings, the Dodger manager allowed his reliever to hit. Pena grounded one to Williams at 3rd, who again booted an easy chance to allow a runner to reach 1st. Maury Wills followed with a clean single to center and Bill Buckner bunted both runners up a base. Willie Davis was intentionally walked to load the bases and give the Braves a possible double play chance. Up stepped Dick Allen and for the second day in a row he delivered in a clutch spot. Obviously a bases loaded walk off walk is a little less dramatic than a walk off homer, but both did the trick. LA had now taken the first 2 games of the series, which helped them keep their slim post season aspirations alive.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Allen throws wrench into Braves plans
GAME 2: Dodgers 5, Braves 4
The Braves nibbled away against Bill Singer and scored solo runs every other inning to bring a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 8th. Brave starter Jim Nash was removed for a pinch hitter (Dusty Baker) in the 7th and veteran Pat Jarvis (9-10, 3.97) was brought on in relief. With time running short in this game and in this season the Dodgers needed some sort of miracle. A 3 run 8th inning qualified as such. With 2 out in the 8th Willie Davis reached first thanks to a fielding error by Earl Williams, who was playing out of position (he's usually a catcher). Davis stole second and was immediately doubled home by Allen. Wes Parker was given an intentional pass to create a force at any base. Jarvis needed to get rookie catcher, Joe Ferguson out. He couldn't. Ferguson lined an opposite field hit to score both runners who were on the move, and just like that the game was now tied at 4. With Bill Singer long gone, Jose Pena (7-3, 1.63) was tasked with keeping the Braves at bay. Pena was more than up for the task as he tossed 1 2/3 innings of no run ball. Jarvis, who was still reeling from his 8th inning debacle was sent back out to the hill for the 9th. Feeling the game would go extra innings and knowing that Pena could go another 3 or 4 innings, the Dodger manager allowed his reliever to hit. Pena grounded one to Williams at 3rd, who again booted an easy chance to allow a runner to reach 1st. Maury Wills followed with a clean single to center and Bill Buckner bunted both runners up a base. Willie Davis was intentionally walked to load the bases and give the Braves a possible double play chance. Up stepped Dick Allen and for the second day in a row he delivered in a clutch spot. Obviously a bases loaded walk off walk is a little less dramatic than a walk off homer, but both did the trick. LA had now taken the first 2 games of the series, which helped them keep their slim post season aspirations alive.
The Braves nibbled away against Bill Singer and scored solo runs every other inning to bring a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the 8th. Brave starter Jim Nash was removed for a pinch hitter (Dusty Baker) in the 7th and veteran Pat Jarvis (9-10, 3.97) was brought on in relief. With time running short in this game and in this season the Dodgers needed some sort of miracle. A 3 run 8th inning qualified as such. With 2 out in the 8th Willie Davis reached first thanks to a fielding error by Earl Williams, who was playing out of position (he's usually a catcher). Davis stole second and was immediately doubled home by Allen. Wes Parker was given an intentional pass to create a force at any base. Jarvis needed to get rookie catcher, Joe Ferguson out. He couldn't. Ferguson lined an opposite field hit to score both runners who were on the move, and just like that the game was now tied at 4. With Bill Singer long gone, Jose Pena (7-3, 1.63) was tasked with keeping the Braves at bay. Pena was more than up for the task as he tossed 1 2/3 innings of no run ball. Jarvis, who was still reeling from his 8th inning debacle was sent back out to the hill for the 9th. Feeling the game would go extra innings and knowing that Pena could go another 3 or 4 innings, the Dodger manager allowed his reliever to hit. Pena grounded one to Williams at 3rd, who again booted an easy chance to allow a runner to reach 1st. Maury Wills followed with a clean single to center and Bill Buckner bunted both runners up a base. Willie Davis was intentionally walked to load the bases and give the Braves a possible double play chance. Up stepped Dick Allen and for the second day in a row he delivered in a clutch spot. Obviously a bases loaded walk off walk is a little less dramatic than a walk off homer, but both did the trick. LA had now taken the first 2 games of the series, which helped them keep their slim post season aspirations alive.
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