Today's matinee between the Dodgers and
the Phillies featured a duel between two Cy Youngs in Clayton Kershaw
and Cliff Lee. But while the game turned out to be all that it was
meant out to be, the game proved to be more than just a battle to
score runs.
For Dodger fans, frustration had begun
to set in big time. The Dodgers had lost 7 of 8, 19 of 25 and most
importantly saw their lead of the NL West turn into a 3-game deficit
behind the arch-rival San Francisco Giants.
However, Dodger fans got something to
cheer about today and while the game looked like another
heartbreaking loss after another tremendous performance by Kershaw,
hope and talks of capturing the West were sparked once again after
one swing of the bat.
When Matt Kemp stepped on the field
last Friday after his long DL stint, promises of runs and wins were
in store for the Dodgers, however that had only gathered one win in 5
games and for Kemp he had not gathered one RBI.
And for those watching the Phillies
series, some may have wondered about Kemp after he had struggled
mightily and looked like a mirror image of himself, especially after
striking out twice on three straight pitches to Lee.
But with questions about his health
and game-play to be certain after the game, Kemp silenced every
reporter after he tied the game in the 10th inning with a
hamstring-testing single to first and a tremendous 2-run walk-off
home run that went about half way up the right field pavilion.
So the question now stands, are the
Dodgers and their MVP back?
And while many may call me crazy, I
believe this is just what the doctor ordered and Beast Mode returned
to the Dodgers who are now determined to overcome their recent slump.
A game like this one was a definite
must win for the Dodgers, but the fact that it ended up in this
fashion with Matt Kemp riding the horse home, the Dodgers got a major
boost before they head on the road for a 10-game road trip that could
have major implications on their season.
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