Remember June 11, 2013?

That was the night that Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ian Kennedy threw a 92-MPH fastball high and tight that hit newly arrived Dodgers superstar outfielder Yasiel Puig on the nose. Fortunately it was a glancing blow that caused no injury – but it could have been fatal if it had been a fraction of an inch more inside. And then Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke did exactly what he was supposed to do – he hit Dbacks catcher Miguel Montero “on the wallet,” as Vin Scully would say. That was it, tit for tat, you hit us we hit you back, that’s it, end of story – or at least it should have been. But instead, when Greinke stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, Kennedy intentionally hit him – on the helmet – and the benches erupted into an epic brawl that is still talked about to this day. Ten days later the last-place Dodgers went on their historic 42-8 run and ended up winning the NL West by 11 games … over the Dbacks.

Dbacks right-hander Ian Kennedy awakened a sleeping giant when he intentionally hit Zack Greinke with a pitch on June 11, 2013. Many still consider that single game the turning point of the season for the Dodgers.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

How about May 9, 2014?

That was the night that Giants ace (or a word that sounds very similar to that) Madison Bumgarner confronted Puig rounding third base after the Dodgers right fielder launched one of his fastballs over the centerfield wall for a solo home run. It seems that Puig’s signature bat flip got Bumgarner’s panties in a wad – something that seems to happen quite often and as recently as this past Friday night in Texas. And although Bumgarner’s childish fit did not cause benches to clear – at least not on that night – it clearly set the tone for the rest of the season between the bitter division rivals. The Dodgers went on to win the NL West by six games … over the Giants.

Like Kennedy, Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner fired the Dodgers up for the remainder of the season when he confronted Yasiel Puig about his bat flip after the Dodgers right fielder took him deep.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

What about August 2, 2015?

Even though the Angels of Anaheim aren’t in the same division or even the same league as the Dodgers, it’s difficult to say that this weekend’s three-game sweep over the Halos isn’t a momentum-changer for the Dodgers. And how can anyone argue that Sunday’s dramatic 10th-inning 5-3 win on Andre Ethier’s walk-off home run – his second round-tripper of the game against one of the best teams in all of baseball – isn’t a potential turning point of the season for the Dodgers?

Ethier’s fist in the air while rounding first base brought back fond memories of another former Dodger who once worn uniform number 16. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

The point here (or question, rather) is, is it actually possible for one single game in a grueling 162-game season to make or break the season for a team? Although Hall of Fame Manager Earl Weaver, who is credited with saying “Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starter,” might not think so, chances are that many, if not most Dodger fans probably think otherwise. And even though the Dodgers are already in first place in the NL West (albeit by a scant 2.5 games) and have been since May 29, it’s yet again hard to argue that Sunday’s game wasn’t a huge momentum booster for them.

Now granted, the Dodgers still have three more games against the Angels in Anaheim and another three-game sweep is highly unlikely for Don Mattingly’s club, but with Ethier and Puig and Howie Kendrick and Jimmy Rollins and Yasmani Grandal and (hopefully) Joc Pederson beginning to heat up with only nine weeks remaining in the season, Sunday’s exciting game against the Angels could very well prove to be that game.