On May 6, 2009, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Washington Nationals to break a Major League Baseball record for most consecutive home wins to begin a season.
The win was their 13th in a row at Dodger Stadium, which broke the previous record of 12 established in 1911 by the Detroit Tigers.
A 21-year-old Clayton Kershaw got the start on the mound for the Dodgers and turned in five solid innings, allowing four hits and a run while striking out five and walking three to earn the victory.
The Dodgers gave him early run support in the bottom of the first inning when Rafael Furcal singled to lead things off and then Andre Ethier drove him in on a double-play ball after Orlando Hudson doubled and Manny Ramirez walked.
It wasn’t until the middle innings when the Dodgers bats came alive, scoring one run in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk by Ethier, and then outbursting for seven runs in the sixth.
Russell Martin got the rally started with a leadoff single, and then Case Blake and Mark Loretta both walked to load the bases once again.
The Dodgers brought home all seven runs without the luxury of a home run as Furcal and James Loney both had RBI singles, Ramirez hit a two-run double, Hudson worked a bases-loaded walk and then Martin finished what he started with an RBI groundout in his second at-bat of the inning.
Hudson finished off the scoring in the seventh with an RBI single, extending the lead to 10-3 an allowing the Dodgers to cruise to victory.
That win improved the Dodgers’ record to 21-8, and they were able to carry that momentum all the way to a 95-67 record and a National League West division title.
Unfortunately, their ultimate goal of winning a World Series fell short when they were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the NL Championship Series.
Dodgers set NL record
Prior to their MLB record, the Dodgers set an NL mark by winning 11 straight games at home to begin the season.
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