Finley’s Slam Is the Grand Finale as Dodgers Pull Off a Stunner, 7-3

It was 4:40 p.m. Saturday as Steve Finley walked to home plate at Dodger Stadium. He paused to soak in the environment, to feel the cheers of the crowd of 54,594 wash over him, to look at the clear blue sky, to note the shadows that stretched nearly all the way to right field.

Then he turned his attention to San Francisco Giant left-hander Wayne Franklin, looked at the three Dodgers on base and focused on the task at hand.

Down by three runs entering the ninth inning, the Dodgers had already scored three times and there was still only one out. With the Giant defense playing in, all that was needed was a fly ball or a deep grounder to get the winning run home.

“I wanted to enjoy the atmosphere,” said the 39-year-old Finley, a 16-year veteran. “I knew I would get it done.”

Did he ever. Finley got his fly ball on the second pitch from Franklin, a fastball that cleared the wall in right field at the 375-foot sign, a grand slam to give the Dodgers a 7-3 victory, a franchise-record 53 comeback victories and, most important, the championship of the National League West Division for the first time in nine years.

The Dodgers will open the postseason in either St. Louis or Atlanta, depending on the outcome of the wild-card race. If the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies today, they will win the wild card and the Dodgers will play the Cardinals. If the Astros lose and the Giants beat the Dodgers, the Astros and Giants will require a one-game playoff to determine the wild card. If it turns out to be the Giants, the Dodgers will open against the Braves.

But all that could wait for today. Saturday was for celebrating, for unleashing the frustration that has enveloped this franchise for nearly a decade. As Finley, obtained in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on the last day of July, circled the bases, fist raised to the sky, Manager Jim Tracy, who has known his share of disappointment in his four years on the job, hugged his coaches. Frank and Jamie McCourt, who purchased the team before the season, embraced in their club dugout seats. General Manager Paul DePodesta, who made the deal that brought Finley to Los Angeles, broke into a smile as wide as Chavez Ravine.

And at home plate, an army in Dodger blue waited, to pound and high-five the man who had just struck the most dramatic blow at Dodger Stadium since Kirk Gibson made his only appearance in the 1988 World Series.

“That one swing spoke volumes,” Frank McCourt said of Finley’s blast, standing on the field surrounded by well-wishers. “That’s why Paul made the moves he did.”

Said DePodesta in the clubhouse, speaking through a shower of champagne and beer: “We had them right where we wanted them when we were down in the ninth inning.”

There was only silence in the somber Giant clubhouse.

“Any time you have a three-run lead and you need to get three outs in the ninth and you lose, it’s stunning,” said Giant reliever Matt Herges, who pitched in that ninth.

Nobody in the Dodger dugout was thinking about champagne and beer through much of Saturday’s game.

Forced to give Elmer Dessens his first start as a Dodger because of injuries and ineffectiveness in the rest of the rotation, the Dodgers fell behind in the fourth inning on a two-run single by Marquis Grissom. Grissom drove in the third Giant run as well with his 21st home run, a solo homer in the seventh.

With Giant closer Dustin Hermanson on the mound, the Dodgers began the bottom of the ninth with a single to left by Shawn Green. Hermanson walked Robin Ventura and, after striking out Alex Cora, walked pinch-hitter Jose Hernandez to load the bases.

Up came pinch-hitter Hee-Seop Choi. DePodesta, who has taken a wave of criticism for the deal with the Florida Marlins that brought Choi to L.A, admitted his dream scenario was for Choi to win the game.

Choi did well enough, coaxing an eight-pitch walk out of Hermanson, who had saved 17 games in 20 opportunities before Saturday, to bring home the first Dodger run.

Exit Hermanson, enter Jason Christiansen.

Cesar Izturis hit a ground ball to short. Cody Ransom, inserted into the game for defensive purposes at the start of the inning, failed to come up with the grounder, the ball remaining at his feet as another Dodger run scored.

Exit Christiansen, enter Herges, a former Dodger.

Jayson Werth lined a run-scoring single to right, tying the score as the bases remained loaded.

Exit Herges, enter Franklin.

As Finley swung, pitcher Jose Lima, poised to leap in joy as he watched the flight of the ball, muttered to himself, “Finally ... finally ... finally.”

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Ninth Is Fine

A look at how the Dodgers came back from a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth:

* A slumping Shawn Green starts the inning against Giants’ Dustin Hermanson with a bloop hit that falls in front of a sliding Barry Bonds.

* Robin Ventura walks on 3-2 pitch and the crowd suddenly has something to cheer about.

* Alex Cora quiets the crowd when he takes a called third strike.

* Jose Hernandez, pinch-hitting for David Ross, walks on a 3-2 pitch, loading the bases. A grand slam will win it.

* Hee-Seop Choi pinch-hits for Yhency Brazoban. The crowd begins a chant: “HEE-SEOP CHOI, HEE-SEOP CHOI.” Choi, seldom used since the controversial Paul Lo Duca trade, walks on 3-2 pitch, forcing in a run. Antonio Perez runs for L.A.’s latest hero, and Jason Christiansen replaces Hermanson.

* Cesar Izturis hits a ground ball to shortstop Cody Ransom, brought in to start the inning as a defensive replacement. Ransom mishandles the ball and everyone is safe. It’s 3-2 and Dodger Stadium is rocking.

* Jayson Werth, who also has been struggling, faces former Dodger Matt Herges. After fouling off several pitches, Werth lines a single to right, scoring Hernandez and keeping the bases loaded. A grand slam, or even a fly ball, will win it.

* Steve Finley obliges. On Wayne Franklin’s second pitch, Finley crushes his 36th home run into the right-field pavilion, giving the Dodgers a 7-3 victory. It’s the most dramatic home run into the pavilion since another left-handed Dodger outfielder hit one in 1988. Move over, Kirk Gibson, you’ve got company.

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Playoff Possibilities

The Dodgers will travel to play either the St. Louis Cardinals or the Atlanta Braves in the National League division series beginning Tuesday, pending the results of today’s games:

* If the Houston Astros win or the Dodgers defeat San Francisco, the Dodgers will open in St. Louis.

* If the Giants win and the Astros lose, those teams meet in a one-game playoff Monday in San Francisco. A San Francisco victory sends the Giants to St. Louis and the Dodgers to Atlanta. A Houston victory matches the Astros against the Braves and the Dodgers against the Cardinals in St. Louis.

* Full schedule of dates and times to be determined.