Casey Blake - Matt Sayles-AP

Hope you bought a lottery ticket yesterday because the Dodgers broke all the odds. To win game 2 against the Cardinals and take a 2-0 lead into St. Louis, no one would have believed you. Got to love it.

I was coming back from Vegas yesterday and could only catch part of the game on the radio. Nicely, the only part I caught was the bottom of the ninth. I can’t say it was a quiet listen, as my kids were screaming in the back of the car while I had the stereo cranked up. I should clarify screaming…they wanted to watch Thomas the Train Engine – which we allowed, just to the sounds of the Dodger game. My son kept saying “Sound on, sound on” and my younger daughter kept saying, “mama, mama, mama” with the hope that my wife would turn on the dvd sound since daddy obviously wasn’t going to budge on turning off the game.  Let’s just say chaos is my family sometimes…

In the midst of all that, I heard Casey Blake take the walk.  Then Belliard hit the single, then Loretta hit the single.  Ironic as always that Juan Pierre scored the tying run.  Who knew that the lower part of the lineup would just chip away at the lead.  Dodger fans would…but not the rest of the country.

Great article in the LA times yesterday about how the team thought Casey Blake was the hero with the walk (click here).  I fully agree and have been hyping him all year.  He doesn’t hit like Manny, but he definitely does the other things to be just as valuable.  

So in the midst of all the excitement, I was brought back to earth here in the Bay Area.  I talked to Giants fan co-worker and asked him why he hadn’t congratulated me that the Dodgers won last night…he responded, “You’re not on the team, why should I congratulate you?”  Such it is up here.  At least the Dodgers are in and the Giants aren’t so I can just smile and know he knows the Dodgers are the better team.

Bring out the brooms – let’s sweep the Cardinals!

Jon Garland - SI.com

Where do I start with Game 2.  Awesome, Awesome, Awesome.  I love a good Dodgers beat down.  As I write this, it is 12-1 in the 9th.   Here I thought Brad Penny would pitch like he did last weekend when I was there, and he just didn’t have it. 

Obviously I could have changed the post to wonder if the best Dodger pickup was Ronnie Belliard.  That grand slam in the 1st inning set the whole tone.  Then it was run after run and homeruns galore.  I like Blake DeWitt, so seeing him even get into the action was great fun.

It was great to see Pierre even get a hit with two outs.  I’m convinced that Juan Pierre is going to play a big part in the playoffs for the Dodgers, and it may just be a clutch hit at the right time.

Now to my focus.  Jon Garland pitched great today.  Even more, he has pitched great for the Dodgers.  I don’t know if it is the new team, or just more offense, but he has been a great pick up.  I think he may be a great pick up for years to come.  As they go into the playoffs, its hard to know where he will pitch.  He may not be the #1 this year, but he could be there in years to come.  He’s just solid, and he may be the difference for the rotation.

Well – Happy Birthday to me – the game is final and the Dodgers won 12-1.  My one request today was to watch the whole game.  I have to thank the Dodgers next time I talk to them for working together for a great game and memory.  The best comment I heard from a Giants fan today, “Isn’t there some sort of mercy rule?”  Love it.

Until tomorrow, who do you think is the best Dodgers pickup?