A.J. Ellis leads Dodgers’ walk-off win
Another unlikely walk-off hero emerged for the Dodgers on Sunday, this one a 29-year-old rookie, a former 18th-round draft pick and Class-A backup, the kind of player who is known in baseball circles as “inventory.”
Of the handful of highs afforded to him on his arduous path from Austin Peay State University to the present, A.J. Ellis said of what he experienced Sunday, “This is definitely the most special.”
And perhaps among the most frightening.
Because moments after he hit an 11th-inning single to drive in Russell Martin to lift the Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves that split the four-game series, the backup catcher looked up and saw Matt Kemp charging out of the dugout and heading his way.
“That’s like a strong safety coming up the middle,” Ellis said.
Ellis laughed as he recalled how he was grabbed by Kemp as he rounded second base and was soon engulfed by a wave of teammates. A celebration that started in the middle of the infield concluded with a smiling Ellis on his knees on the center fielder grass.
“I took some good shots in there,” Ellis said.
The walk-off victory was the fourth in the last week for the Dodgers. They have won six of their last eight games, each of the victories by a one-run margin.
“It doesn’t help me age any quicker,” said Joe Torre, the Dodgers’ soon-to-be 70-year-old manager.
John Ely put the Dodgers behind, 4-1, as the rookie-right-hander gave up a run-scoring single to Jason Heyward in the third inning and home runs to Martin Prado and Brian McCann in the fifth. The home runs were the first two given up by Ely, who began the game with a 2.54 earned-run average.
A three-run surge in the fifth inning, consisting of Rafael Furcal’s first home run and a two-run single by James Loney, tied the score, 4-4.
The bullpen set the stage for Ellis’ late-game heroics as Justin Miller, Hong-Chih Kuo, Jeff Weaver, Jonathan Broxton and Ronald Belisario combined to pitch six shutout innings, with Belisario pitching the final two.
Ellis, who started in place of Russell Martin, had two earlier chances to drive in runs.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, he grounded into an inning-ending double play. With two out and Kemp on third base, he flew out to center field in the eighth inning.
Ellis finally broke through in the 11th inning, which Martin led off by drawing a pinch-hit walk from Jesse Chavez. Martin moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Blake DeWitt.
Then came the most euphoric moment of Ellis’ eight years in professional baseball.
Called up to the majors from triple-A Albuquerque on April 10 when Brad Ausmus was sidelined because of back problems, Ellis skipped the recent birth of his second child to remain with the Dodgers.
“Wife’s decision,” said Ellis, who witnessed over the Internet the May 29 birth of son Lucas Joshua.
And when the Dodgers found themselves short on arms in a blowout loss Saturday night, he was asked to warm up in the bullpen in case they had to have him pitch the ninth inning. Ellis pitched in five games in double A in 2006 and 2007, including one in which he caught the first 17 innings and pitched the last three.
“This kid is a bit of a throwback to the old days,” Torre said. “I was really happy for him.”
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