That Was 6-3 on the Baseball Scale
Did anyone feel that earthquake and aftershock last night at around 6:30? According to seismologists the epicenter was the first baseline at Shea Stadium in Queens, NY. The rumbles started after the newest oldest Dodger pitcher David Wells laid a bunt down the third baseline and tromped to first base to beat out the throw.
The aftershock occurred later in the inning when Matt Kemp hit a bloop single to right field. David Wells came charging home to score only his seventh run in his entire career.
It’s amazing that I could feel that rumbling from New York and not the two shakers we had recently in Chatsworth.
All kidding aside, David Wells impressed me last night. Even though he wasn’t pitching his best (see the bases loaded situation in the bottom of the fifth inning), he had just enough to get out of bad situations (see him striking out Moises Alou to get out of that bases loaded jam).
And that bunt. It’s amazing how a hit that traveled only around 30 feet screamed louder than a 400-foot home run. At that point in the game the Dodgers were losing in their normal somnambulant manner 2-1. After Wells got on base, the Dodgers scored two runs in that fifth inning and three more in the sixth inning to secure Wells a long awaited W.
As to what this means for the rest of the season: absolutely nothing. If I’ve learned anything about this year’s Dodger team, it’s that they never do what is expected of them. And in this case they’ll take this motivated win and turn it into a couple of duds against a surging Washington Nationals team.
Or maybe that’s what is expected of them and they’ll do the exact opposite? Ok, now my brain is starting to hurt worse than Miss Teen South Carolina.
Speaking of things in the South, a big congratulation goes out to the boys in Warner Robin, GA for winning the Little League World Series 3-2 against the team from Tokyo, Japan. What a thrilling game that went into extra innings and ended with a walk-off home run in the eighth. Those kids executed the fundamentals of baseball so well it makes me wonder if the Dodgers can sign them up now.
AP Photo by Bill Kostroun