Nomar helps win a SD/LA classic

How ya like that, Theo! I'm playoff bound & you're not!

In what is being called one of the greatest regular-season comebacks in history the LA Dodgers (otherwise known as RedSoxWest), and the game, Nomar Garciparra hit a walk-off 2-run homer in the 10th inning last night in a game vs. the Padres.

What made it so dramatic was the fact that the game was dripping with playoff implications as there was only 1/2 game separating the two teams going in, and the game-winner was made possible by LA's miraculous 9th inning comeback.

In that inning the Dodgers were trailing 9-5 but then pulled off the near impossible- they homered 4 straight times, the second 2 off of sure-fire Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman, only the 4th time that has been done in MLB history. Jeff Kent, JD Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon "don't call me Tito" Anderson, who had a career-high 5 hits, did the deed.

After the Padres took the lead back in the top of the 10th, which could have demoralized a team that had just fought so hard to tie the game, the Big Blue Machine went back to work in the bottom of the 10th. A lead off walk of Kenny Lofton by none other than exiled Bosox reliever Rudy Seanez set the table for the hobbled Garciaparra (translates to persona-non-grata in Bostonian), who had sat out the last 2 games with a strained quad. In a scene eerily reminiscent of Kirk Gibson's game winner vs the A's in the 1988 Series, right down to the Vin Scully call but with a lot fewer peole in the stands, the former Boston SS crushed Seanez' offering into the left field bleachers for an emotional, gut-wrenching (for SD) come-from-behind win.

Kudos to the former Boston icon for resurrecting his career in LA after 2 injury-plagued seasons with the Cubs, and after being willing to try a new position (1B) just to show he could still play.

Fitting that with one of the greatest comeback home runs in history he probably wrapped up the Comeback Player of the Year award and potential playoff berth as well.