June 15, 2012
NL Playoff Game 12

Dodgers (Media Copy)    9
Orioles (Quinn Construction)     7

 

(Media, PA) Our beloved Dodgers were able to overcome a manpower shortage and strong Oriole team, who they had not beaten yet this year, to win a playoff thriller at MLL Stadium, 9-6. All was not rosy early on though and the Orioles worked their way to a 4-1 lead after 2 1/2 innings, with strong hitting and pitching. But it was in the bottom of the 3rd that the Dodger offense erupted.

Punctuated by a 3-run home run by Garvey Williams, the Dodgers plated 5 in the inning. Kohler, Cropper, Williams, Sacks and Furlan all plated runs. The ladder two scored on a Sam Much double to right. With the score 6-4 the Dodgers were able to maneuver their way through the middle innings in decent shape. But, the Orioles' never say die attitude was evident as they inched closer. Going in the bottom of the 5th, it was 7-6 Dodgers. Enter, Robert "King Kong" Furlan!

Furlan led of the bottom half the 5th with a monster triple. Down 1-2 in the count, and with his team starved for insurance runs, Furlan hammered a 92 mph fastball deep into the left field corner. Furlan scampered safely into third, running through a stop sign at second by the way, and awaited another clutch hit. So, 2 batters and 2 outs later, Sam Much came to the plate, and Sam promised to be TOO MUCH (get it???, I've been waiting all year to write that, but I digress). Much hammered his second double of the game to right and notched his 3rd RBI of the night. Furlan scored and it was 8-6. Much eventually scored too on an Adrian Kohler single and it was 9-6 heading into the 6th.

Garvey Williams pitched into the 6th. Williams was able to get 2 outs, but left runners at 1st and 3rd before he reached his pitch limit for the night. Shane "Papelbon" Kokoska, the Dodgers closer entered the game. With the tying run at the plate, Kokoska dug deep and got the strike out to end the game.

Foul Balls...No Dodger players were made available for comment after the game by order of interim Manager Travis Kokoska. "I told them to go to bed and get the some rest. Sypher's boys took it to us last week. We need to be ready." .... The Dodgers will meet the Pirates on Saturday at 9:30 AM. The Pirates trounced the Dodgers in Round 2 of the Playoffs just one week ago, 13-2.... Congratulations to Randy Cropper. Manager Cropper participated in the Media 5 Miler road race on Friday night. "Crop" as he's known finished 3rd behind Alfred Kirwa Yego (Kenya, 22:32:01) and Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong (22:36:07). Cropper's time was 22:36:08). Said Cropper, "I love running against those crazy Kenyans. They're always cracking jokes about cattle and stuff like that. I'd tell you what they said but it's much funnier in Swahili. You wouldn't get it".
 

Pitch Counts:

Dodgers:

     Kohler – 48 (Next Available, Monday - 2 days rest - Sat/Sun)
     Williams – 46 (Next Available, Monday - 2 days rest - Sat/Sun)
     Sacks – 15 (Next Available, Saturday)
     Cropper – 19 (Next Available, Saturday)
     Much – 11 (Next Available, Saturday)
     Kokoska – 5 (Next Available, Saturday)