Fielding the Dodgers' 3-2 win over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on a short hop ...

In < 25 words ...
The Dodgers came back with two outs in the ninth, beginning with an error by Matt Holliday. Mark Loretta had the walk-off single.

complete postseason coverage

Frozen moment
James Loney cut off Ronnie Belliard's throw home in the top of the seventh and threw Colby Rasmus out at third for a big out. If Rasmus gets to third, the Cardinals would have a chance to extend their lead to 3-1.

0-for-9 -- That's the Cardinals' line with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers' ability to keep St. Louis from getting the clutch hit kept the game close and made the comeback possible.

Game balls

CLAYTON KERSHAW

People wondered how the 21-year-old Kershaw would perform in his first postseason start. Well, he didn't disappoint. Kershaw allowed just two runs in 6 2/3 innings and nearly matched Adam Wainwright zero for zero on the scoreboard. It's not Kershaw's fault he received little run support.


ANDRE ETHIER

A postseason home run always is an impressive feat, but when you take into account that it came against Wainwright on a day when he's nearly unhittable -- it's even more so. Ethier's blast the fourth inning broke up a perfect game and tied it at 1.


LEADOFF HITTERS

Not a single player reached base to lead off an inning for the Dodgers in Game 2, going 0-for-9. That's a huge reason why the Dodgers had such a hard time putting together a rally.

Sense of October
Joe Torre decided to go with closer Jonathan Broxton down, 2-1, in the eighth inning against the heart of the Cardinals' order. If this is August, Torre might let George Sherrill throw to Albert Pujols, Holliday and Ryan Ludwick. But that doesn't happen in Game 2, and Broxton retired the side in order.

Lines of the Game


Loretta
Hitting
Mark Loretta
1 AB, 1 H, 1 RBI
Comment: Loretta was the game's hero even though he had only one at-bat. He won the game with a two-out RBI single with the bases loaded in the ninth.

Kershaw
Pitching
Clayton Kershaw
6 2/3 IP, 2 R, 9 H, 1 IBB, 4 K's, 1 HR
Comment: A playoff start wasn't too big a moment for Kershaw. He was dominant for six innings, but couldn't get out of the seventh. He gave up three hits in the inning, including an RBI double by Rasmus.
Spoken
"You gotta get lucky sometimes. We got lucky." -- Third baseman Casey Blake

Next step
The Dodgers head to St. Louis looking to clinch during Game 3 on Saturday. The Dodgers will turn to Vicente Padilla to lead them to a possible series sweep.