Post-Game 82 Thread: How To Blow A Five-Run Lead, And Still Barely Win

DODGERS PETCO Park is the pitcher-friendliest park in the majors, yet that didn't stop the Dodgers from hitting three home runs today: Andre Ethier in the second. Casey Blake in the third. Chad Billingsley (!) in the fifth (shown: his double in the third inning). Newly minted All-Star Billingsley's final line: 8.0 IP, 4H, 3 ER, 5K, 97 pitches; at the plate: double, HR. Unfortunately, the Dodgers let the Padres score FIVE runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score at 6-6. Jonathan Broxton, who entered the game in relief of Billinsgley with none out in the ninth, was wild, but for some reason Joe Torre let Broxton (and Dodger fans) suffer through 38 pitches, many of them wild, while the Padres clawed their way back. After trading scoreless frames and sneaky escapes, Free James Loney led off the 13th inning with a home run deep to right, and that was the ballgame. Jeff Weaver, not Chad Billingsley, gets the win. The Dodgers get a series victory against the...