The Braves and Dodgers provided a dramatic close to the four-game series as Matt Kemp hit a two-run home run in the 12 inning, giving Los Angeles a 5-3 win and the series.
Flying through the 100-pitch mark in the ninth, Clayton Kershaw gave up two-out singles to Chipper Jones and Dan Uggla that set up a two-out situation with both runners in scoring position. After the Dodgers stayed with Kershaw, Ross struck on an 0-2 count by pushing a jammed single to left field to plate both runners, taking the one-run lead.
The Dodgers answered in the bottom of the ninth when Craig Kimbrel walked the leadoff hitter, eventually resulting in a two-out RBI single by Casey Blake that tied the game at three. After battling back and forth for a couple innings, the Dodgers struck in the 12th when Kemp launched a two-run homer off Cristhian Martinez to win.
Why was Kemp was pitched to with a runner on second and one out? Who knows?
Starters Kershaw and Jair Jurrjens fought back and forth through four innings as neither allowed a run. Kershaw broke in the fifth, allowing a solo homer to Freddie Freeman. However, Jurrjens allowed the tying run in his sixth and final inning on a solo homer by Juan Uribe.
With Scott Linebrink on the mound in the seventh, Casey Blake hit a solo homer to take a one-run lead at the time.
Jurrjens allowed one run on seven hits - six singles - in six innings, walking two and striking out six. He induced four groundouts to six flyouts, but he showed excellent command and held the Dodgers off balance throughout the six innings. Deep counts and strikeouts resulted in 111 pitches early.
Kershaw was on the verge of a complete-game win, but he ended up with a no-decision by allowing two runs in the ninth. He allowed three total in 8.2 innings, giving up five hits, four walks and striking out seven. He induced five groundouts with 10 flyouts, throwing 122 pitches.
Freeman went 2-3 with a home run, RBI and two walks. Ross added two RBI in the ninth on his only hit. Despite playing 12 innings, the Braves had just seven hits, and only one was not a single.
Blake went 3-6 with a home run and two RBI. Kemp's only hit was the walk-off home run, recording two RBI. Uribe added one RBI on a homer.
Eric O'Flaherty pitched a scoreless eighth for the Braves. Kimbrel gave up the tying run in the ninth but struck out the side in the 10th. Martinez pitched a scoreless 11th before giving up the game on the Kemp homer in the 12th.
For the Dodgers, Jonathan Broxton pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. Matt Guerrier pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two.
For more on the series, Braves fans check out Talking Chop and Dodgers fans check out True Blue LA.