Gordon wins David v. Goliath matchup

Baseball is all about matchups.

Let’s take the first inning of last night’s Dodgers-Tigers thriller that LA took 3-2 in extra innings.

To start the game the Dodgers sent up fourth-year pro Dee Gordon, trying to win the regular job at second base. Gordon stands 5-11 and weighs 170, which has to include being fully dressed, soaking wet and wearing ankle weights. He is a wisp of man and probably worries about personal security during high winds.

Gordon looked out on the mound at Max Scherzer, 6-3 and 222 lbs. and the possessor of what major leaguers call serious heat. Scherzer hits the gun in the mid to upper 90s on a regular basis and went 21-3 last year with a 2.90 ERA. Numbers good enough to earn the AL Cy Young Award.

Gordon fell behind 1-2 then inexplicably drove a Sherzer fastball into the seats in right-centerfield. Gordon said after the game he “just got lucky” and was hoping for a triple. Gordon’s dinger was the fourth of his career. Not exactly power numbers.

Another matchup – LA’s Dan Haren against the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, perhaps the most feared hitter in the game. Cabrera went yard 44 times last year, knocked in 137 RBI and hit .348. Haren was 10-14 with the Nationals last year with a bulging 4.67 ERA. Cabrera never got the ball out of the infield last night.

Haren didn't get the decision but did pitch six innings of three-hit ball in another strong mound performance.

In the end, Carl Crawford won the game with a double to left field that should have been at least knocked down by Detroit left fielder Rajai Davis who went for the catch, allowing the ball to bounce to the wall. Davis’ misplay allowed Chone Figgins to score from first base with the winning run.

Crawford’s game-winner bailed out closer Kenley Jansen, who blew a save in the bottom of the ninth, and Gordon, who failed to move Figgins to second on a pop-up bunt.