Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) – Melky Cabrera sent a slow grounder past a diving Jamey Carroll at short to score the tying and go-ahead runs, as Atlanta rallied from a two-run deficit in the ninth to beat the Dodgers, 4-3, in the conclusion of a four-game series.
A pair of errors by Atlanta’s Brooks Conrad in the eighth inning led to two runs and gave Los Angels a 3-1 lead heading to the ninth. However, Cabrera also proved to be the savior in the field, nailing Ryan Theriot at the plate trying to score on a sac fly from James Loney to save a third run from crossing in the inning.
Hong-Chih Kuo (3-2) loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Alex Gonzalez led off with a bloop hit into shallow left and Brian McCann sent just the fourth hit by a left-hander all year off Kuo in the hole between first and second. With Troy Glaus at the plate, a wild pitch to the backstop moved both runners into scoring position before Glaus flared a pop fly into foul territory that Loney caught over his shoulder behind first.
Conrad walked on four pitches to fill the bases and Octavio Dotel was summoned from the bullpen to face pinch-hitter David Ross, who worked a walk to force in a run and make it 3-2. Cabrera then cleared the bases of the two most important runners and ultimately the dugout as Atlanta won its 20th game of the season in the last at-bat and clinched a series win against the Dodgers.