“Livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself from fallin’
Livin’ on the edge
You can’t help yourself at all
Livin’ on the edge
You can’t stop yourself from fallin’
Livin’ on the edge”

~Aerosmith

Today’s game was a microcosm of the entire season. It was one of the weirdest games I’ve seen in a while, in a season of weird happenings. There was worry, elation, worry…

The game starts with pitcher Brandon McCarthy having no control. None whatsoever. Pitches were flying by Yasmani Grandal wide right, wide left, into the backstop, even once hitting a batter. He allows five walks. And still, he somehow only gives up two runs against the best offensive team in the American League, the Boston Red Sox. But, he was only in the game for 3-2/3 innings. A newly acquired pitcher, Josh Fields, he of the 6.23 ERA, comes in and takes care of the batter (who is the pitcher David Price, but still.)

Justin Turner hits a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. Adrian Gonzalaez follows with a double, and then Boston dropped a ball on a fielders choice, and runners on first and third. Grandal walks, and new Dodger hero Rob Segedin doubles in two runs for his first major league hit and RBI. Boston decides to walk Scott Van Slyke, and pitch to hot hitter Howie Kendrick, and it works. Double play to end the inning.

Jesse Chavez comes in to pitch, another new acquisition, he of the 5.36 ERA, and promptly sets down the Red Sox 1-2-3. The bullpen might be a little better than we all like to believe.

Dodgers load the bases in the bottom of fifth, and look who come through again — new guy Rob Segedin! A two-run single makes the score 6-2.

So the Dodger have a nice little lead. Picked up their pitcher when he needed it. Luis Avilan comes in to relieve Chavez, and promptly gives up two runs. Oh no, here we go. The bullpen is about to squander the lead.

Joe Blanton is brought into face pinch hitter David Ortiz with one on, two out. Also taken out in the double switch is Segedin, who only provided four of the six runs. Blanton walks Ortiz. And then gives up a single to Mookie Betts to left field, throw is cut off by Turner, and Boston scores another run. 6-5 Dodgers. But Blanton comes through, and strikes out Jackie Bradley Jr. The Dodgers follow up with a 1-2-3 inning of their own.

Blanton gets the first two Red Sox out, and Pedro Baez is brought in. And strikes out Travis Shaw.

Adrian Gonzalez homers in the bottom of the seventh — his 300th career home run. Congratulations, Adrian!

Enrique Hernandez follows with a home run of his own, and now the Dodgers lead 8-5. Pedro Baez gets an at-bat — and flies out. He stays in to set the Red Sox down 1-2-3.

Kenley in to close it out. Strikes out the first two batters on six pitches. Then strikes out the last batter on four pitches. This tweet by Aaron also sheds light on the eccentricity of the season:

Other notables: Vin was especially on tonight. Of course Vin is just the best in every game he calls, but he had wonderful little tidbits such as this:

and this:

Josh Reddick finally got his first hit as a Dodger this weekend, in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game. I am sure he will start hitting more consistently soon. But it doesn’t help those who feel that it was a terrible trade, and that he should be more productive immediately.

A player leaning on the dugout fence gets a handful of sunflower seeds in the fold of his shirt. It is Alex Wood. And the instigator, the “one smiling like a little kid”, as Vin puts it? Clayton Kershaw.

Speaking of Kershaw, the Dodgers’ ace played catch today. This is the first time Clayton has picked up a ball since his setback. Fingers crossed all is good to go, and he can keep progressing towards a return as soon as possible.

So, after a pretty bad outing by a pitcher who had, before his last two starts, been very good, and facing the best offensive team in the American League, and losing 9-0 on Friday on a start by one of your other recently consistent pitchers,the Dodgers still manage to take two of three from a pretty darn good team. This team keeps fighting, despite all the injuries. They are currently one game back of the NL West leading Giants. Sure, the Giants have hit an amazing skid. But their run earlier in the year was against an easier schedule than the Dodgers, and now is catching up to them. This game was a microcosm of this season because although it looked very gloomy at the start, here the Dodgers are , living on the edge of something that can possibly be a most incredible year.