Casey Blake's Two-Out Walk-Off Single Lifts The Dodgers Over Florida

When the Dodgers entered the ninth inning this season, they must have loved trailing the lead. And last night at Dodger Stadium, the team faced the same scenario.

With the bases-loaded and two-outs, Casey Blake stepped up to the plate with a grin on his face. Marlin's reliever Luis Ayala had already done his job by striking out Manny Ramirez, but Blake had other ideas.

Blake flared a fly ball that dropped in shallow right-center field to give the Dodgers a 4-3 victory over the Florida Marlins. It was the 27th come-from-behind win for the club this season.

"I was just trying to get myself mad and fired up and ready to step in there and battle him," said Blake. "I found a hole. I thought it might hang up a little bit and let their guy get there, but I was fortunate. You get some luck in this game, and right now I'll take anything I can."

Blake's winning hit ended his 5-for-31 slump during the Dodgers' eight-game homestand.

Ayala came in after Rafael Furcal's one-out ninth inning bunt single and Orlando Hudson's single to left field. But Ayala loaded the bases when he walked Andre Ethier, before Blake connected on a 2-2 pitch that gave the Dodgers' their sixth win in seven games.

Ramirez, who went 1-for-5, had his first hit since his pitch-hit grand slam on Wednesday. He is currently batting .336 for the season.

Jonathan Broxton (7-0) got the victory for the Dodgers by pitching a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout. Ethier went 3-for-3 with one run scored and Hudson was 3-for-5 with one RBI.

The rubber game against the Marlins starts today at 1 p.m.