August 2nd, 2018 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It took all of two at-bats for new Dodgers second baseman Brian Dozier to:
- A) Prove he belongs here, and
- B) Immediately win over the hearts of Dodger fans everywhere.
All the 31-year-old Tupelo, Mississippi native and Minnesota Twins 2009 eighth-round draft pick (out of the University of Southern Mississippi) did in his Dodgers and Dodger Stadium debut on Wednesday night was hit a solo home run to center field in the fifth inning, single to left field in the seventh inning, and hit a ground rule double to left in the eighth inning.
Yes, Brian Dozier, in his Dodgers debut, came within a triple of hitting for the cycle, while slugging a home run for his first hit in a Dodgers uniform.
“I love the only 395 to center. That’s a good thing. I’m not used to that.” – Brian Dozier.
[It’s 404 feet to the center field wall at Minnesota Twins’ Target Field]. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Just prior to Dozier’s home run in the fifth inning which turned a 2-0 deficit to the NL Central second place Milwaukee Brewers into a 2-2 tie, Grandal led off the inning with a solo home run of his own, a 372-footer just inside the foul pole in right field.
The Dodgers would add two more runs in their half of the seventh inning to make it a 4-2 ballgame, but the Brewers tied it at 4-4 in the top of the eighth inning after Dodgers reliever Scott Alexander walked three of the seven batters faced (one intentionally) and gave up a RBI double to Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas, followed by a RBI single to Brewers catcher Manny Pina.
Alexander’s blown save forced the game into extra innings after a scoreless ninth by Dodgers All-Star closer Kenley Jansen. Dodgers right-hander Dylan Floro then pitched a 1-2-3 10th inning to once again put the Dodgers in a position to walk it off.
…and they did.
Struggling Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp, who was 0-for his last-26, led off the inning with a sharp single to left field, bringing Grandal to the plate with the winning run on first base and no outs. On a 1-1 count, Grandal laced a 90.6-mph sinking fastball off of Brewers right-hander Matt Albers to nearly the exact same spot just inside the right field foul pole as his fifth inning jack for a game-winning walk-off two-run home run that not only gave the Dodgers the exciting 6-4 win, but also returned them to first place in the National League West, albeit tied with the idle Arizona Diamondbacks.
“We had two slow runners, [Albers] is trying to get something on the ground, I’m trying to get something up in the zone to put in the air,” a Gatorade-drenched Grandal told SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo immediately after game. “He hung one, and I was able to get a good swing on it. Matt battled it out to give me time to time [Albers] in the on-deck circle.”
Grandal’s walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning landed within feet of where his fifth inning home run landed. It was Grandal’s 19th home run of the season, second only to Max Muncy‘s 25.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The walk-off win was the second of the season for the Dodgers and Grandal’s walk-off home run was the first regular season walk-off blast since former Dodger Charlie Culberson‘s exciting walk-off home run in the final game of the 2016 season, remembered by every Dodger fan as Vin Scully’s final call.
Good company indeed.
Grandal prepares to get mobbed by his teammates after his exciting 10th inning walk-off home run on Wednesday night. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
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In the first four innings the Dodgers looked about the same as they did in the 3 previous games, so it was exciting to see them tie the game on back-to=back homers by Grandal and Dozier. The drought was over. It’s good to be back, even in a tie, for first place.
I was hoping dropping out of first place would be just the shot in the arm (or kick in the butt) they needed to get going. Now we’ll see if that continues.
Last time they hit a skid it took the return of Justin Turner to fire them back up. He’ll likely return tomorrow or Saturday. 🙏🙏🙏
And Dodgers fans delighted in Dozier’s encore. The guy is a stud and he makes us much better.
I’d say the Dozier addition should turn the Dodgers into a offensive juggernaut, but every time I say something like that they become completely inept at the plate, so I won’t.
But it sure looks like, on paper, that the Dodgers can outhit any team in MLB.
I feel like a big beautiful hot streak is coming.