NLDS2 - Dodgers 3, Cardinals 2

Went to this afternoon's playoff game. To be honest, it was pretty sleepy for the most part. Maybe it was the 3:00 start? Maybe it was just a pitcher's duel. Wainwright pitched out of his mind, and an Ethier solo home run was the only offensive highlight. But things changed around the Seventh Inning Stretch. That's when Slash played "God Bless America" (above).


The Dodgers finally made Wainwright start to work, and got to the relievers in the ninth. Down 1-2 with 2 outs, the rally began. It was facilitated by an error by Matt Holliday that allowed Loney to not only get on base, but reach second. A stolen base, a walk, a passed ball, and timely pinch hits got them the win--and Mark Loretta became the recipient of a dog pile (above).


Look at all the stoked Dodger fans. That's not a stranger offering a high five, though. It's our friend Ken. Below: Greg, me, Wendy, Ken while "I Love L.A." plays in the background.


When fans finally left the stadium, they gravitated toward local newscasters who were looking to capture some of the excitement.


It spilled into the streets (below). Imagine cars honking, strangers yelling "Go Dodgers" to each other, and a ton of grins all over the sidewalk. The last time I saw something like this was years ago in the NHL playoffs when the Kings came back from an ungodly deficit to beat the Red Wings.


A big F.U. to the East Coast honks on sports radio and TV who didn't give the Blue Crew a chance against the Red Birds.