Editorials

Dodgers’ Playoff Moment: Holliday Gives Dodgers 2009 NLDS Game 2

In the 2009 NLDS, the Dodgers were looking to return to the NLCS for the second consecutive year; this time against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Dodgers came into the series as NL West champions after winning 95 games and the Cardinals came in as NL Central champions with 91 wins.



Game 1 was won by the Dodgers, 5-3, and Game 2 pitted young pitching phenoms Adam Wainwright and Clayton Kershaw.

The game was close with each pitcher giving up a solo home run, until the 7th inning when Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus hit an RBI double to score Mark DeRosa. The score remained 2-1 into the 9th inning.

With one out, the Cardinals called on closer Ryan Franklin to finish the game. He would retire Manny Ramirez, bringing up James Loney with two outs.

Loney hit a sinking fly ball towards left field that would seemingly end the game, but Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday lost the ball and it hit him in the stomach, allowing Loney to reach base safely and end on second base.

Casey Blake was walked and then Ronnie Belliard hit a game-tying RBI single. Catcher Russell Martin drew another walk setting the stage for infielder Mark Loretta.

Loretta, who was 0-15 lifetime against Franklin, would send the stadium into a frenzy with a walk-off RB I single to center field, giving the Dodgers a win and a 2-0 series lead. The Dodgers would go on to sweep the series in St. Louis, but lost again in the NLCS to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Here’s the video of Holliday’s error and subsequent walk off from Loretta in Game 2:

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button