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By Jon Weisman
A.J. Ellis and Andre Ethier were a combined 8 for 66 (with eight walks) since the All-Star Break, but they provided the final key at-bats in the Dodgers’ 5-4 walkoff victory Tuesday over the Angels.
After Ellis’ perfectly executed hit-and-run single moved Juan Uribe to third with one out in the bottom of the ninth and the score tied, Ethier hit a chopper to third that Angels third baseman David Freese barehanded but was unable to throw home accurately enough to nab Uribe at the plate, giving the Dodgers their third walkoff victory of the homestand after only two in their previous 49 home games.
Both at-bats culminated on 3-2 pitches.
Uribe was hardly a bit player in this game. His three-run homer in the second inning brought the Dodgers back from an early 2-0 deficit.
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Clayton Kershaw struggled early, allowing eight hits to the first 12 batters he faced and matching his career high for a game with four doubles allowed before he retired a batter in the third inning. But Kershaw flipped the switch, and retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced, exiting with a 4-3 lead.
Kershaw has 16 quality starts in 18 appearances in 2014 and has allowed more than three runs only once — the seven-run debacle in Arizona in mid-May. He has not allowed more than 10 baserunners in his past 22 starts, dating back to 2013.
Matt Kemp’s hustle brought home the Dodgers fourth run — he reached first and third on an error with a stolen base in between, and scored on a Scott Van Slyke sacrifice fly. But Albert Pujols’ eighth-inning homer — the first allowed by Brian Wilson in the past 106 at-bats against him — tied the game.
Eric Enders (@nrmnbates)
What a weird and entertaining game. Kemp in the 6th was a thing of beauty. I hope Maury Wills was watching.
Eric Enders (@nrmnbates)
Ellis, for all his struggles this year, still has the 12th-best OBP among the 40 MLB catcher with at least 150 at bats. He has a higher OBP this year than Gary Carter or Paul Lo Duca did for their careers.
Eric Enders (@nrmnbates)
Speaking of Hungry Men, Jon, did you realize that old friend Jumbo Diaz finally made his MLB debut a month ago after 14 years in the minor leagues? Today he started what was probably the weirdest MLB play of the year, and he wasn’t even in the game:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/bizarre-play-leaves-reds-indians-in-disbelief?ymd=20140805&content_id=88143102&vkey=news_mlb
trublu4ever
I loved it! So glad for AJ and especially my Andre!!!
mlblogsdodgerdon
Kemps hustle helped us forgive his not hustling last year which resulted in his ankle injury!
oldbrooklynfan
I’m happy Pujol’s HR gave Ethier a chance to be part of the action involved in the winning of the game. Maybe it will erase some of that “forgotten man” status that Scully has spoken about.
artieboy
Perfectly executed hit and run single???? That was almost and should have been a DP….luckily it wasn’t. Very generous :)
Executed correctly the ball goes through the vacated hole behind the infielder…..at least in my baseball book….which is rapidly becoming out of date.
No criticism for old friend Mike “the nose” Scioscia for not walking Ethier and setting up the force at home?
Cheers for Ethier!
Jon Weisman
Nitpicking :)
Mario Olvera
hate to be a bugger for details but that was not a home game as you wrote in your article, that was at Anaheim but its close to home
Jon Weisman
Not sure what you’re referring to, but the game in this post, on Tuesday, was at Dodger Stadium.