After being hit by a pitch in Tuesday's game against the Reds and being taken to the hospital, Manny Ramirez was held out of the starting lineup on Wednesday.
But with the Dodgers and the Reds tied at two in the sixth inning of the finale of a three-game set, manager Joe Torre called on Ramirez to hit in the pitcher's spot with the bases loaded.
Ramirez swung at the first pitch he saw from Nick Masset — a 96-mph fastball — and cranked it to deep left field for a monstrous grand slam on a night in which the Dodgers celebrated their left fielder with "Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night."
The slam — the 21st of Manny's illustrious career — brought the Dodger Stadium crowd to its feet in search of a curtain call, and Ramirez emerged from the dugout to acknowledge the crowd by holding his helmet high into the Los Angeles night.
The home run was Ramirez's 11th of the season, and the four RBIs raised his total to 37. He was removed at the end of the inning for pitcher Guillermo Mota.
The Dodgers went on to top the Reds 6-2 to improve to 61-34 on the season, the best record in the majors.
