Roger Roger! Dodgers Rally Late To Win Sixth Straight, Tenth Consecutive Road Game

The Dodgers have been winning, and I mean winning everything In sight. The Dodgers came into tonight not only looking to sweep the Blue Jays, but looking to sweep the road trip. With five wins in a row and 22 wins in their last 27 games, the Dodgers were attempting to do something they haven’t done since 1955. That’s win ten consecutive road games. And we all know what happened in 1955.

With the Dodgers winning constantly, it has made me a very happy guy. Dodger winning streaks can cause severe cases of laughter and happiness. Everything is better when the Dodgers are winning and in first place. The air is crisper. Food tastes better. You walk with a bit lighter step. Basically life is better.

Let me tell you when Mark Ellis hit his two-run home run in the top of the tenth to give the boys in blue a 5-3 lead at the time, I was screaming for joy. I’m sure you were too. Of course how the Dodgers got there was a different story. They almost lost this game, but once again, they would rally, first to tie, and then to take the lead.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) reacts after hitting a home run in the tenth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Los Angeles defeated Toronto 8-3 in ten innings.-John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers were unable to get runners in scoring position home most of the game. The Dodgers left a boatload of runners on base. 13 to be exact. They were 2 for 17 with RISP. For some reason they tend to have trouble with these journeyman Kevin Millwood types that they’ve never faced before. Esmil Rogers, while pitching at Rogers Kept wiggling out of jams all night. Leaving two runners on in the fourth, and wiggling out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth. Rogers allowed two runs on ten hits through seven innings, while whiffing four. But he was taken out with the game tied at 2-2.

Ricky Nolasco Roger’s opposing starter pitched well too, and had a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but served up two runs in that frame when Rasmus and Izturis walked, and Brett Lawrie doubled both of them home. Nolasco pitched 5.2 innings, only allowing two runs on two hits, and whiffed five, but walked four. While he struggled with his command, he was still able to keep the Jays off the bases.

The Dodgers had gained the lead with one run in the second and one in the third. Singles from Ethier, and Schumaker and a sac fly from Uribe scored one, and in the third Crawford singled and Puig doubled him home.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (47) throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at the Rogers Centre.-John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers committed three errors and two of them costly in the bottom of the eighth, that almost cost them the game. Belisario allowed a ground ball single to Cabrera that bounced off of Gonzo’s glove. There was a walk, and then another throwing error from Gonzo that allowed the go-ahead run to score. That made it 3-2 Toronto.

But you can’t stop the Dodgers. You just can’t. In the top of the ninth, Puig who had a great game (3 for 5 3RBI HR and a walk) drew a clutch walk to get aboard. After whiffs to Gonzo and Hanley, Etheir singled to center, but Rasmus butchered the play, and the ball bounced over his head. Puig scored the tying run and after Brandon League pitched his second scoreless frame, the Dodgers took the lead for good in the top of the tenth. Uribe walked, and Mark Ellis crushed a monster two-run home run to give the Dodgers the lead! Puig followed suit with a home run of his own. The Dodgers tacked on a couple more and after Kenley Jansen, the better Jansen closed the shop in the bottom half of the tenth, the Dodgers win! Final score of 8-3.

Check out the highlights below! Celebrate Dodger fans! This team is incredible, and I am exhausted.

Rogers begins the first frame with ground balls outs on Carl Crawford, and Yasiel Puig. Adrian Gonzalez singles over Reyes’s head, but Hanley Ramirez grounds out to third. Nolasco struggled a little bit with his command but still manages to pitch a scoreless bottom of the first. Ricky walks Jose Reyes, but then picks him off. Melky Cabrera grounds out, Then he whiffs Jose Bautista for the third out.

The Dodgers couldn’t hit Rogers, but won anyways-John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers get on the board in the top of the second, but an annoying double play screws them out of more. Ethier singles to center. A.J. Ellis is hit by a pitch. (don’t worry he’s ok). Skip Schumaker who is hitting .423 in his last ten games, singles up the middle to load the bases. Juan Uribe’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in center scores Dre. The Dodgers lead 1-0. Mark Ellis’s hot smash to third is handled by Brett Lawrie who turns a 5-4-3 inning ending double play from his knees. M.Ellis hit it hard, but Lawrie just made a good play. Just some rotten luck.

Nolasco tosses a nice 123 inning in the bottom of the second. Uribe makes a great bare handed play on Edwin Encarnacion’s slow roller. Colby Rasmus, and Adam Lind both whiff ending the second. The Dodgers score one more in the top of the third. Crawford singles to lead off. Puig doubles off the top of the left field wall to score Crawford, who would have been held up at third, but the Jays bumbled the relay throw. Gonzo’s grounder moves Puig to third. Although Hanley fails to advance the runner by whiffing, and Ethier grounds out. The score is 2-0 Dodgers.

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Nolasco throws another scoreless frame in the bottom of the third. Setting down the Jays 123. Rogers gets into muddy waters in the top of the fourth, but he gets out of it somehow. A.J. singles, and Schumaker walks, but Uribe pops out, and M.Ellis and Crawford whiff.

Nolasco throws another scoreless frame in the bottom of the fourth. Reyes and Cabrera are retired, and then with Bautista at the plate there is an Umpire injury delay. Afterwards, Nolasco walks Bautista, but gets Encarnacion to fly out to center. 2-0 Dodgers after four.

The Dodgers blow another scoring rally in the top of the fifth. Puig and Gonzo sinlge. Hanley pops out. Ethier’s grounder to first is booted by Encarnacion for an error. With the bases loaded the Dodgers pull a first half Dodgers when A.J. whiffs on a called third strike, and Schumaker flies to left.

Nolasco blows the lead with a little infuriating walkapalooza in the bottom of the fifth inning. He actually had a no-hitter going, but that went to dust. First he whiffs Lind, but then walks to Rasmus and Izturis put two on. Arencibia flies to left. Brett Lawrie’s two-out double scores to, and the game is tied at 2-2.

The Dodgers go down in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Nolasco whiffs Cabrera, but Bautista singles. After Encarnacion flies out to left for the second out, Mattingly hooks Nolasco to bring in Paco Rodriguez to pitch to Adam Lind, who is a lefty. Nolasco allows just two hits and whiffs five, but walked four. Paco whiffs Lind and preserves the tie.

Rogers comes back out for the top of the seventh. Andre Ethier a two-out ground rule double brings A.J. to the plate with the go-ahead run in scoring position. A.J.’s line drive to left is caught on a dive by Cabrera. We’re still tied at 2-2.

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andre Ethier (16) gets congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring a run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre.-John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Paco retires the first two batters of the bottom of the seventh, but a Hanley throwing error puts Arencibia at second. Mattingly hooks Paco and now enter right hander Chris Withrow. He walks Lawrie, but gets Reyes to pop out to Hanley and the Dodgers are out the inning.

Right hander Steve Delabar is in for the top of the eighth. After Schumaker whiffs, Uribe reaches on an infield single to third. But M.Ellis whiffs, and Crawford lines out. The top of the ninth inning sucked. That’s all I have to say. With Belisario on the mound, the Jays use a Cabrera single, Rajai Dais pinch-runs for him and steals second. A throwing error from Gonzo on a Bautista grounder to first allows the go-ahead run to score from second, and the Jays lead 3-2. It was actually Brandon League who had to come in to retire the side before things got out of hand, which he does.

Move to the top of the ninth. Toronto’s closer who is also named Janssen is in to close it out. The Dodgers were down to their last strike. The game was over, of course until it wasn’t. The Dodgers tied it up at the last minute, thanks to a huge misplay from Rasmus. Puig draws a walk. But Gonzo and Hanley both whiff to put the Dodgers down to their last out. On a 1-2 pitch to Ethier, he singles to center, but Rasmus came in to shallow and the ball bounces over his head, allowing Puig to score the tying run. Dodgers tie the game at 3-3!

Etheir had a four hit game tonight-John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

So we go to extra innings. In the bottom of the ninth, Brandon league throws a scoreless frame. That’s his second straight scoreless frame thrown. The Dodgers break open the game off of Juan Perez in the top of the tenth. It was simply incredible. Juan Uribe a one-out walk. Mark Ellis crushes a two-run home run into left, and the Dodgers take the lead 5-3!!!! Then Puig homers to left! Gonzo walks. Hanley doubles, then Ethier doubles them both home! 8-3 Dodgers!

The Dodgers dugout exploded into celebration! Kenley Jansen comes in to close shop in the bottom of the tenth. Bautista grounds out. Encarnacion flies out. Lind whiffs on a foul tip. The Dodgers win their sixth in a row!

I don’t even know what to say anymore. This is an amazing Baseball club. The Dodgers scored eight runs on 16 hits today and scored 32 runs in the three game series. Ethier had four hits today. And hey about Brandon League throwing two scoreless frames to pick up the win. I know the Blue Jays are terrible, but it doesn’t make this any less fun.

The Dodgers will have a happy flight home as they open a huge four game series with the Reds tomorrow night at 7:10 PM on Vin Scully Bobblehead night. Zack Greinke will battle Mat Latos, as the Dodgers go for their seventh win in a row. I love this team! And I love you all!!!!!! Go Blue.