The Legend of Don't Stop Believin'

For those who don't know, the Dodgers' "eighth inning stretch song" (a new trend that the Red Sox started with "Sweet Caroline" that I used to be lukewarm about but have grown to love) is the immortal "Don't Stop Believin'." If there was any doubt about it being in the top 1 songs in the history of music, there's none anymore...because I now present "The Legend of Don't Stop Believin', 2009 Dodgers Edition."


1. April 15th: Dodgers trail the Giants 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth following a crushing three-run homer in the top of the inning that normally would have deflated them. But a single, a double, a sacrifice fly and another single later, the game's tied 4-4, and then the Dodgers win in the ninth on a walkoff walk.

2. May 20th: Dodgers and Mets are tied at 1 entering the bottom of the eighth. The Dodgers get a one-out single and a one-out walk, and then, incredibly, Russ Martin (batting something like .120 at the time) comes through in the clutch with an RBI single to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead that Jonathon Broxton holds for the win.

3. May 23rd: Down 4-1 to the Angels at one point, the Dodgers cut to 4-3 entering the bottom of the eighth. Loney leads with a double (one of his like three extra-base hits on the season), and one out later Casey Blake (henceforth referred to on this blog as "Beard") drives him home with a single to tie it up. The Dodgers win in the 10th on a walkoff walk.

4. June 2nd: The Dodgers trail the Dbacks 5-0 at one point and 5-1 most of the way, as they look absolutely lifeless against Dan Haren. Then comes the bottom of the eighth. Leadoff single by Kemp, then two quick outs, then another single, two walks to make it 5-2, and then a shocking bases-loaded double off the wall by Loney to tie it at 5 (the second of Loney's like three extra-base hits on the season). Beard then follows with a go-ahead RBI single, completing a crazy comeback to give the Dodgers a 6-5 lead and the eventual victory.

5. June 16th: Dodgers down 4-2 entering eighth. Enter opposing reliever. Cue Furcal double. Then Blake single. Then Loney walk. Then Kemp single. Then Ethier game-tying fielder's choice. Fast-forward to 10th. Leadoff base hit. Then error. Then Loney GIDP...but then Kemp walkoff single. Dodgers win 5-4.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this:

Juuuuuuust a small town girl!..............Livin' in a looooooonely wooooooorld!..............(Good luck getting that out of your head.)