The Dodgers HAD to win the past two games, and they did. They salvage the split, and they are still in this thing. And ManRam goes 4 for 5 with a double and his second N.L. home run. Turns out it was his first four-hit game of the year. He is now 8 for 13 with a double, two homers, four runs scored and five RBI in a Dodgers uniform. Matt Kemp also had a big day, going 3 for 5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI just one day after having his 19-game hitting streak snapped. The first two hits, both singles, came off Doug Davis, against whom Kemp is now 8 for 15 lifetime. James Loney and Casey Blake had two hits each, too. Jason Johnson couldn’t get through the fifth inning and thus didn’t qualify for what would have been an easy win in what will probably be his final start with Brad Penny taking over that rotation spot on Friday. My guess is Johnson will go to the pen and Ramon Troncoso will go to the minors, but again, that’s just a guess. Troncoso struggled in the ninth despite having a six-run lead. Didn’t give up any runs, but there was a wild pitch and a walk mixed in there. … Dodgers climb back above .500 at 56-55 and back to within one of the Snakes. … Off to the Gateway City, where it is supposed to be hot, humid, sticky, humid, miserable, humid … and did I mention humid?