The Dodgers got off to a good start when SS Rafeal Furcal opened the game with a double to right field. As Padres’ P Walter Silva was making his 1st major league start, Manny Ramirez grounded out to SS and drove in Furcal for a 1 – 0 lead. Silva gave up a solo-homer to Dodgers’ 3B Casey Blake in the 2nd inning. From 1st through 4th innings, Dodgers P Chad Billingsley was in complete control of the game. Though, in the 5th inning things began to unravel when Billingsley walked a few and the bases were loaded. As the sacks were loaded, Padres’ CF Jody Gerut attempted to take 2nd when a sacrifice fly ball was driven to center by David Eckstein. The ball was cut by Dodgers’ 1B James Loney and threw to 2nd as Orlando Hudson tagged out Gerut for the 3rd out. That was the play of the game, right there even though Padres had even the score at 2 – 2. In the top half of the 6th Inning, the Dodgers blew the game open and posted 3 runs to seal the victory by the score of 5 – 2.

Player of the game
Dodgers’ LF Manny Ramirez, who had 2 hits and drove in 3 runs. Manny got the Dodgers going in the 1st inning with a grounder to shortstop. The chants of Manny in the stands had begun as well. Though, I wasn’t quite clear if they were calling for Ramirez or Mota. Just kidding !

Since a few players on the Padres are feeling the case of bright lights when runners are in scoring position, a song by Matchbox Twenty titled ‘Bright Lights’ is befitting one.