Dodgers finally get the Manny Ramirez they were expecting in 5-4 victory over Rockies

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Manny Ramirez had not been himself. At least, the Dodgers hoped. Really, not even a reasonable facsimile.

Ramirez had petty much been in a month-long slump. Since coming back from his calf injury on May 8, he had batted only .213. He had gone without a home run. His batting average, an impressive .415 when injured, had dropped to .307.

There is, however, still a bit of drama left in the Dodgers’ favorite dreadlocked hitting star.

Friday night in Denver with the Dodgers down by one, Ramirez hit a two-run homer off Jeff Francis in the sixth inning to lead the Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Rockies.

It was Manny’s first home run in 58 at-bats, and his first home run at Coors Field. Consider it good timing.

For awhile it seemed Manny had a secret man crush on Mike Schmidt. Having tied Schmidt for 14th on baseball’s all-time home run list April 18, he then just hung out at 548 for the next month-plus.

But his two-run blast capped a four-run inning for the Dodgers and made a winner of rookie Carlos Monasterios (2-0, 2.20 earned-run average), who pitched well enough.

Jonathan Broxton, who had only one save in April, pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 11th save in May. He has converted his last 11 consecutive save opportunities.

--Steve Dilbeck