Matt Kemp the hero again as Dodgers stand alone atop the NL West

by Rowan Kavner

Matt Kemp rounded second base and flung his helmet into the air as his teammates chased him into left field to celebrate. He did it again.

One day after smashing a game-winning home run in the late innings off Arizona reliever Archie Bradley, Kemp came through Sunday afternoon with a walk-off two-run double off Bradley to send the Dodgers into sole possession of first place in the division against the rivals they were chasing.

“Two of the biggest hits of the year for us, really,” said manager Dave Roberts.

The inning began when Alex Verdugo, in his first Major League plate appearance since July, worked a walk to start the ninth inning against Arizona closer Brad Boxberger. Max Muncy, who homered earlier in the day, found himself down 0–2 before working a walk as well.

A perfect sacrifice bunt from Kiké Hernández put two runners in scoring position for Kemp, who was surprised to see Boxberger leave the game in favor of Bradley. The Dodgers were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, but Kemp’s teammates could sense what would unfold.

It was deja vu at Dodger Stadium.

“We said he’s going to do it again,” said Cody Bellinger. “First pitch, he did it again. That’s why we call him ‘Hollywood.’ He likes the big moments.”

Kemp noticed clips of his hit the previous night as walked up to the plate to face Bradley again.

“In my mind, I really wasn’t thinking about hitting a home run,” Kemp said. “I really was just trying to get that one run in at third base — just so happened I got two.”

In completing a second straight 3–2 win, the Dodgers earned their third straight comeback win against the Diamondbacks and won their first four-game series against Arizona at Dodger Stadium. Most importantly, they jumped ahead of the Diamondbacks atop the division.

“We’ve got a dangerous group of guys that are hungry,” Kemp said. “We all got one common goal right now — doesn’t matter who’s playing at this moment — it’s to make it to the playoffs.”

Kemp’s redemption series and season helped that cause.

After batting .214 in August, Kemp’s been the hero both days in September. Roberts complimented the job the Kemp did staying ready and keeping his focus despite not starting a day after hitting his game-winning home run Saturday.

“The last month has been tough sledding for him,” Roberts said. “But for him to understand a different role for him, to come prepared every single day to help us win a game at some point in time, just a tribute to him.”

The Dodgers were in position to win after another stellar starting pitching performance, this time from Walker Buehler, who struck out eight of the first 15 batters he faced and tied a career high with nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He got a combined 40 swinging and called strikes, baffling Arizona hitters with his varying four-seamer and two-seamer while mixing in his slider and curveball often. All four pitches got at least three called strikes.

In the fourth inning, Buehler navigated the middle of the Arizona lineup effortlessly, striking out the side swinging. As the Dodgers came back out to hit, the Muncy “Funcy Muncy” highlight video played on DodgerVision. The Dodger first baseman promptly launched his 31st home run of the year to start the scoring.

Buehler helped the offensive cause, raising his batting average 53 points with a multi-hit day. He was the Dodgers’ first baserunner of the afternoon with a two-out hit in the third inning. The Dodgers would go on to load the bases, but a Manny Machado flyout to center field ended the threat.

After Muncy’s homer in the fifth, Buehler would record his second hit of the day. Joc Pederson added another, but a Justin Turner lineout would result in a double play. An inning later, each of the first two Dodger batters in the sixth inning reached base, but three straight strikeouts followed.

Roberts said after Ryan Madson’s arrival the new Dodger reliever would pitch in high-leverage spots immediately. He stuck to his word, as it was Madson relieving Buehler with one out and two on in the seventh inning for his first appearance as a Dodger.

Madson walked the first batter he faced on four pitches but seemingly got out of the jam when Bellinger caught a fly ball and fired a perfect throw home to get Paul Goldschmidt at the plate … at least initially.

Bellinger earned well-deserved high-fives all around and the Dodger defense had already retreated to the dugout when the play was reviewed and reversed. Goldschmidt’s foot got around the tag to tie the game. With two runners in scoring position, Madson kept the game tied with an inning-ending strikeout.

Caleb Ferguson would get the eighth inning and strand runners at the corners. He stayed in for the ninth. Daniel Descalso, the first batter Ferguson saw in the inning, took him deep for a go-ahead home run.

Kenley Jansen would retire three of the final four batters of the inning to keep the Dodgers within a run. That would eventually earn him his first win of the season, as Kemp allowed the Dodger Stadium crowd to rejoice for a second straight night.

“I think it gets louder and louder every year,” Kemp said. “I think the fans get more excited every single year. It just gets better and better.”

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