"First base coach Davey Lopes said he didn't know whether Matt Kemp would win the National League's most-valuable-player award because of where the Dodgers are in the standings.

But Lopes didn't hesitate to bestow another title on Kemp.

"The best player in the National League," Lopes said.

With Kemp hitting his third walk-off home run this season to lift the Dodgers to a 7-6, 11-inning victory over the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium, Lopes again did what he could to gather support for the center fielder's MVP candidacy.

What Lopes refused to do was something he did the two previous times Kemp ended a game by clearing the outfield wall: extend him a congratulatory hand during his home run trot.

"He knew I was going to hit his hand hard," Kemp said."