An Important Road Trip

The Dodgers won all three series on their 10-game road trip and went 7-3 and put themselves back in first place in the National League West. Chad Billingsley won his sixth straight decision in impressive fashion last night with 7 innings of shutout baseball versus the Atlanta Braves. Mark Ellis was the offensive star hitting a bases loaded double in the top of the ninth inning to seal the deal. They face the Giants at Dodger stadium tonight. I do not think it is a series that will decide the NL West right now but the Dodgers cannot afford to get swept and give the Giants any kind of momentum either. The Dodgers have who they want opening the series tonight in Clayton Kershaw. He faces off against Madison Bumgarner, a really tough, young left-hander. I have a Madison Bumgarner bobblehead courtesy of the Hickory Crawdads from a couple of years ago and if I thought it would help the Dodgers, I would turn it into a voodoo doll and start sticking pins in it but I will settle for a couple of Matt Kemp homeruns. A grand slam from Hanley Ramirez would be nice as well.