The Dodgers found yet another way to win Saturday night when down by a few late. As they've done earlier in the season, it was their patience at the plate that paid off.
Juan Pierre's bases loaded walk scored Matt Kemp, and the Dodgers overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Angles in 10 innings, 5-4. With the win, the Dodgers are the first team in baseball to reach the 30-win mark.
Both teams played to a standstill the first 4 innings. Russell Martin hit and RBI double in the second to go up 1-0, but Juan Rivera's solo homer in the fourth tied it up.
The fifth is when momentum would shift to the team that claims they're from Los Angeles, but really aren't. With two outs, Chone Figgins and Rivera were on base with singles. On a 3-2 count, Torri Hunter temporarily broke the game open with a three-run homer to give the Angles a 4-1 lead.
The Dodgers wasted no time in battling back. Orlando Hudson singled with two down and went to second on a wild pitch. Andre Ethier was then beaned. Martin, still struggling with his bat, again came through with an RBI single. James Loney followed with one himself to make it 4-3.
Down a run heading into the eighth, Casey Blake again showed why he's the most productive eighth hitter in the game. Loney doubled to lead off, and Blake singled him home an out later to tie it at 4-4.
From there, like most games, it was a battle of the bullpens. Ronald Belisario had already pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, and now it was Jonathan Broxton's turn. And Broxton sure did come through, blanking the Angels in the ninth and tenth, striking out three.
Jose Arredondo relieved in the ninth and got Loney swinging to end the threat. But in the 10th, Arrendondo looked completely lost. Singles by Kemp and Blake started it, and pinch-hitting Juan Castro walked to load the bases.
Pierre had already grounded out once with the bases loaded earlier the game, so he now had a chance for redemption. Of course, it helped that Arrondondo lost all control, walking Pierre on a full count to end the game.
A win in extra innings is always good, but the Dodgers wasted chances to score during the game. They got 11 hits, drew five walks, and were even beaned three times. Still, they left 14 men on base. They can thank Martin and Loney for their big, two-out RBIs.
The rubber match is today, and the Dodgers send their ace Chad Billingsley to the mound. He's tied for the National League lead in wins at six, so he's looking to get his name at the very top of that list with a win today.
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