Dodgers Blitz Marlins

Saturday, August 25, 2012*
    Adrian Gonzalez was acquired earlier in the day by the Los Angeles Dodgers and led the charge with a three-run homer in first inning off Josh Johnson. The Marlins lost 8-2 at Dodgers Stadium on Saturday night. The Dodgers also received former Marlin Josh Beckett in the deal.
    Johnson(7-11) only went three innings and allowed six runs on ten hits for Miami. Clayton Kershaw improved his record to 12-7 as he struck out eight Marlins and gave up two runs on three hits in eight innings of work.
    Gorkys Hernandez started the game for Miami with a double to left field. Two batters later, he scored on a ground out by Jose Reyes to short for a Marlins 1-0 lead.
    Los Angeles put up four runs in their half of the first inning before Johnson was able to retire anyone. Mark Ellis doubled to deep center field then scored on a Luis Cruz double into right field to tie the game. Matt Kemp singled to right field and Cruz advanced to third on the play. In his first plate appearance as a Dodger, Gonzalez pounded a 0-1 pitch down the right field line for his 16th homer of the season.
    Giancarlo Stanton blasted a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch for his 28th homer this season during the second inning off Kershaw. It was his fourth homer in his career at Dodgers Stadium for the Southern California native.
    Mark Ellis matched it in the bottom of the frame with a lead-off homer to center field on a 0-1 count for his fifth round-tripper of the year.
    Los Angeles added another run in the third inning. Either began with a double into right-center field. After a Juan Rivera ground out to short, A.J. Ellis singled to left field and Either scored.
    In the fifth inning, Ethier cracked a solo home run with none out off Wade LeBlanc to right field on a 2-1 count for a Dodgers 7-2 lead. It was his 14th homer of the season.
    The Dodgers continued to roll with a rally against Heath Bell in the eighth inning. Nick Punto, who was included in the Gonzalez trade, pinch-hit for Kershaw and walked. Mark Ellis followed with a single to center field. Punto then scored on an RBI-single by Cruz to left field.

* This story was unable to be published on a certain day due to Tropical Storm Issac which knocked out power throughout South Florida.