It doesn’t happen often. In fact, it has happened only nine times since the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1958 – a pinch-hit grand slam home run.

Current former Dodger Matt Kemp joined that elite and rare list on Saturday night against the New York Mets at Citi Field in front of 37,705 fans, a great many of whom were sporting Dodger blue.

Kemp became only the ninth Dodger to hit a pinch-hit grand slam in Los Angeles Dodgers history. The last was ‘Manny’s Granny’ on July 22, 2009 into what even today is referred to as ‘Mannywood’ at Dodger Stadium.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As he so often does, our good friend Eric Stephen over at True Blue LA had the numbers up on Twitter within minutes of Kemp’s eventual game-winning slam.

(Click on image to view list)

Kemp slugged his historic home run with one out in the top half of the eighth inning when the Dodgers were holding onto a precarious 4-2.

The inning began with a base hit to center by Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger. This was followed by another single to center by Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, who was thrown out at second base but moved Bellinger to third with one out. Mets right-hander Robert Gsellman then intentionally walked Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal in hopes of setting up an inning-ending double play.

It didn’t work.

Instead, Dodgers shortstop Kiké Hernandez laid down an absolutely perfect suicide squeeze bunt to score a hard-charging Bellinger from third to turn a tight 3-2 ballgame into a 4-2 game, with Dodgers veteran second baseman Chase Utley stepping up to the plate. Utley hit a hard line drive that deflected off of Gsellman for an infield single to load the bases, still with only one out.

With the pitcher’s spot due up, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had Kemp pinch-hit for left-hander Caleb Ferguson, who was absolutely brilliant in his 4.0 innings of relief of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in his first game back from the disabled list for lower back discomfort.

It was a very wise decision.

Kemp absolutely crushed Gsellman’s 93-MPH 0-1 fastball, sending it 110 feet high and 398 feet deep into the left field seats at Citi Field to give the Dodgers a demoralizing (for the Mets) 8-2 lead.

With his pinch-hit grand slam on Saturday night, Kemp now leads the Dodgers with 47 RBI on the season.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But equally amazing (and undoubtedly equally demoralizing for the Mets) is the fact that Kemp’s grand slam came exactly one night after Bellinger hit one on Friday night.

In addition to Kemp’s slam, Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy also homered on Saturday, his a solo shot in the first inning off of Mets ace Jacob deGrom. It was Muncy’s 14th round-tripper of the season, tops on the team. And as he always does, the extremely popular 27-year-old Midland, Texas native did his signature bat drop, this one of epic proportion.

Whereas catcher Yasmani Grandal was the former Dodgers Bat Drop King, Muncy now owns that title … and it isn’t even close. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As for Ferguson, he was absolutely outstanding in his 4.0 innings behind Kershaw. All the soon-to-be (on July 2) 22-year-old Columbus, Ohio native did was allow no runs and only three hits, while walking one and striking out six to pick up his first major league win. Along the way, the 6′-3″ / 215-pound lefty stranded the tying run in scoring position in three of his four innings pitched.

After Ferguson’s brilliant outing on Saturday night, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that he will remain with the team and will most likely be used again to back up Clayton Kershaw in his next start.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

In his first outing since coming off the disabled list for lower back discomfort, Kershaw showed signs of being the Kershaw of old. On a very strict pitch count, the 30-year-old future Hall of Famer allowed two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out four in his 3.0 innings of work. The 11-year MLB veteran made a total of 55 pitches, of which 39 were strikes.

Kershaw was initially set to make a rehab start with the Dodgers Double-A Tulsa Drillers, but a forecast of rain in the Tulsa area caused Roberts to change his mind and have him make his ‘rehab’ start with the Dodgers instead.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Dodgers conclude their three-game series with the Mets and their 10-game road trip on Sunday afternoon, with left-hander Rich Hill going for the Dodgers.

The big question is, however, who will hit a grand slam in that one?

Stay tuned…