Dodgers get a debut from Rod Barajas to remember in 5-3 victory over Brewers
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And now for the greatest waiver pickup in the history of baseball, all nine planets and the entire universe.
The Dodgers give you -- Rod Barajas.
Yep, the journeyman catcher, former Santa Fe Springs High School star, father of six and soon to be 35 -year-old.
Barajas, claimed on waivers Sunday from the Mets, joined the Dodgers on Tuesday and made like Johnny Bench, collecting two doubles and a game-winning three-run homer to lead the Dodgers to a 5-3 victory over the Brewers.
Wild guess: He’s just a tad happy to be a Dodger.
The offensively challenged Dodgers hadn’t been blessed with a three-run homer since James Loney hit one on July 11. Every other team in baseball had hit at least one since then.
With Matt Kemp adding a two-run homer, Ted Lilly again strong to raise his record to 5-0 in five starts as a Dodger, Barajas provided unexpected offense.
His three extra-base hits in his Dodgers’ debut equaled the combined total number of catchers Brad Ausmus and A.J. Ellis in 42 games.
The Dodgers opened the scoring in the second after Loney singled off Dave Bush.
That brought up Kemp, who with a fairly easy-looking swing, absolutely crushed a Bush offering to dead center. It bounced off the scoreboard well above the center-field wall. It was estimated at 447 feet, though seem farther.
Kemp, who had been mired in a 1-for-22 skid, has now homered in three consecutive games. His 22 home runs lead the team.
Lilly wasn’t quite as sharp as he had been in his last outing when he shut out the Rockies, but was still impressive.
The Brewers got on run back in the bottom of the second after Prince Fielder singled and scored on a Casey McGehee triple.
The Brewers took the lead with a two-out rally in the fifth. Rickie Weeks tied the game at 2-2 with a solo home run. Shortstop Alcides Escobar singled and then scored the go-head run on a Ryan Braun double.
But the Dodgers took back the lead with a two-out rally of their own in the sixth after Jamey Carroll and Ronnie Belliard singled to bring up Barajas.
Barajas, who had 12 home runs for the Mets, then drilled one out to left for the three-run homer.
Lilly went 6 ½ innings, allowing his three runs on seven hits and one walk. He struck out two.
Hong-Chih Kuo pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save.
Manny Ramirez, in his second game back since coming off the disabled list and the subject of waiver rumors, went hitless in four at-bats and is now 0-for-7 since his return.
-- Steve Dilbeck