Turn Down For What? Turner’s Two-Run Blast Saves Kershaw And Dodgers

Just when things appeared at their worst for the Dodgers, Justin Turner saved the day. When it appeared that the Dodgers were at their darkest hour, a jolly red headed man rode to the rescue. Redturn’s big two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth gave the Dodgers their first come from behind win of the season on Thursday night.

Padres    1 3 0

Dodgers  2 4 0

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That man not only gave the Dodgers a badly needed 2-1 win over the Padres in the rubber game of the three game series, but he also assured Clayton Kershaw of a victory that we all thought he would get screwed out of because the Dodger offense looked lifeless.

For the first seven and a half innings that’s how it went. Kershaw did all he could to pitch the Dodgers to victory, but those finicky bats just kept making outs. It doesn’t matter how well Kershaw pitches if the Dodger offense can’t score any runs. For a while it looked like things were going down that route again. Kershaw hadn’t lost two consecutive games since the beginning of 2013. Turner was not about to let that happen.

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Kershaw had a no-hitter going up until two outs in the sixth inning when opposing starter Tyson Ross singled over Rojas’s head to give the Padres just their second base runner up until that point. Kershaw had retired 13 consecutive Padres until that Ross single. He was able to whiff Yangervis Solarte to get out of the inning. However the game remained scoreless.

Ross was just as good as Kershaw all night, and nearly out pitched the reigning Cy Young winner. The big right hander was filthy and is a very underrated pitcher. The Dodger bats could only muster one walk and two piddly singles up until the bottom of the eighth inning. The Dodgers had two runners caught stealing in the second and third innings. Those really screwed them in the early goings.

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The Dodgers had Matt Kemp walk in the bottom of the second. After a force play from Carl Crawford erased Kemp at second, Rene Rivera threw out Crawford trying to steal second base. Rivera would throw out his second runner of the night in the bottom of the third. In that frame, Gordon reached on an infield single and then was also thrown out trying to steal. Ironically it was Rivera’s bat in the seventh inning that gave the Padres a 1-0 lead, which seemed almost insurmountable at the time.

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The game’s momentum turned for the worse in the top of the seventh. With the game still scoreless, the Padres scored a run on two hits, a walk, a fly ball, and a wild pitch. Abraham Almonte singled to left. Kershaw then walked Jedd Gyorko to force runners to first and second. Tommy Medica’s fly ball to center allowed Almonte to tag and advance to third. A wild pitch from Kershaw with Rivera at the plate, allowed Gyorko to move to second. However it didn’t roll far enough for Almonte to risk trying to score.

Then the .237 hitting catcher Rivera singled to left which scored Almonte and put the Padres up 1-0. Kershaw got out of it by whiffing Rymer Liriano, and getting Cameron Maybin to ground out. But we’ve all been here before haven’t we?

Just when we thought that poor Kershaw would get screwed out of another win because of lousy hitting, the Dodgers did something they haven’t been able to do all season. They came from behind to win. Honest to goodness I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes.

Carl Crawford started it off with an infield single off the mound that he’s just able to beat out. Then the man like legend, Justin Turner goes yard. Ross hung a slider and well…. Check it out below…..

                                                                                                 TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?!?!

That gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead! Ross was able to finish the frame by whiffing Dee Gordon, and pinch-hitter Andre Ethier. The Dodgers grab the lead!

In the top of the ninth Kenley Jansen closed the door to earn his 36 save of the season. He whiffs Almonte for the first out. He loses Gyorko and walked him. 2014 nemesis Seth Smith flies to left for the second out. After Pinch-runner Will Venable steals second base, Kenley whiffs pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal to end the game. Dodgers win 2-1!

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Kershaw earns his 15 win of the season by pitching eight dominant frames. He allowed just the one earned run on only three hits. He walked two and whiffed ten. His ERA is now 1.82. Big Tyson Ross takes the loss, despite throwing eight quality innings himself. He allowed four hits, whiffed eight and walked two.

With the win the Dodgers stay ahead of the Giants, who lost the rain suspended makeup game at Chicago, but also won their regularly scheduled nightcap. The 72-57 Dodgers remain 3.5 games in front of the Giants in the NL West.

The New York Mets fly into Dodger Stadium on Friday to close out the home stand with a three game weekend series. Left hander Jonathon Niese will duel Dan Haren in the series opener.

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT???? Go Blue!