Dodgers Bring Lumber – Make History
After the Dodgers scored 4 runs in the 9th to almost get that come from behind victory in Game 2. The Dodgers unloaded on Kyle Wright and the Braves for 11 runs in the 1st inning. After last night’s game, Dave Roberts said that “I definitely think that’s some momentum we can take into tomorrow.” Boy did they. The Dodgers unloaded on Kyle Wright and the Braves for 11 runs
After the Dodgers scored 4 runs in the 9th to almost get that come from behind victory in Game 2. The Dodgers unloaded on Kyle Wright and the Braves for 11 runs in the 1st inning. After last night’s game, Dave Roberts said that “I definitely think that’s some momentum we can take into tomorrow.” Boy did they. The Dodgers unloaded on Kyle Wright and the Braves for 11 runs in the 1st inning. Those 11 runs set a MLB record for runs scored in any inning of a postseason game.
I have been against the philosophy of getting deep into counts just to drive the pitch count up. I prefer the Corey Seager philosophy… be aggressive and go at the first pitch. Mookie does just that and hits a ground ball down the 3rd base line that Johan Comargo made a dazzling play and throw to first that the umpire, Dan Iassogna, called Betts out. The Dodgers asked for a replay, and the play was overturned , with Mookie credited with an infield single. Next pitch was a Corey Seager run scoring double when Austin Riley slipped in left field allowing Mookie to score from first. JT followed with a pop out, unable to move Seager to third. Then Max hit a hard ground ball but right to Ozzie Albies for out #2. It started to look like a game many of us have seen all to often in post season play, an inability to get a runner home in scoring position.
Will Smith changed the script, and lined a double into CF scoring Seager and the Dodgers were up 2-0. After hustling last night in the 9th to beat Albies’ throw to 1B after misplaying it twice, Smith continued his hustle to get to 2B just ahead of Pache’s throw. Belli followed that with a walk, and then Joc steps up and unloads for a 3-run HR and many of us are starting to breathe a little easier.
But the Boys in Blue were not done. On the very next pitch 3B Edwin Rios crushes a ball over the CF wall for a 6-0 lead. CT3 follows with a walk on a 3-2 pitch and Kyle Wright is gone, and former Dodger, LHRP Grant Dayton, comes into the game. The first batter he faces was leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, and he walks him on five pitches. Next batter is Corey Seager, and as he so often does he does not waste time looking for that perfect pitch, and lines the first pitch into CF to score CT3 for a 7-0 game.
JT follows the single with a little trickery of his own by sticking his foot out to get hit. It was not noticed by the plate umpire, crew chief Jim Reynolds, who originally believed it was a wild pitch. Braves manager Brian Snitker questioned the call, and it was ruled a HBP. Snitker still was not happy that JT got to go to 1B when he not only did not attempt to get out of the way, but purposely stuck his foot out to get hit. That proved to be a big bonus for LAD as the next batter, Max Muncy, absolutely tattoos a 3-2 pitch for a Grand Slam. Dodgers 11-0 after half an inning.
The bottom of the 1st started like so many of Julio Urias’ starts with a pair of walks to Acuna and Freeman. Urias got Ozuna on strikes and got d’Arnaud and Albies to end the inning. Unfortunately, Urias expended 28 pitches in the inning with an 11-0 lead.
The Dodgers scored in the 2nd on a Cody Bellinger. And scored another 3 in the 3rd on a Corey Seager solo HR (2nd in NLCS and 3rd in Postseason). Seager’s blast was 442. The Dodgers parlayed a JT single, Max Muncy double, Will Smith RBI ground out, and a Cody Bellinger single to score the other two, taking a 15-0 lead.
Christian Pache got a long HR to lead off the 3rd, and that would end the scoring until the Braves got two in the 9th.
Huascar Ynoa came in to relieve Dayton with two outs in the 3rd, and shut down the Dodger bats for 4.0 innings. He pitched well. It might have been interesting if the game was not so out of reach when Ynoa was pitching. After throwing 92 pitches in Game 3, I doubt that Ynoa will pitch again in the series. But if he does, I would bet the Dodgers may have learned something about him.
With 101 pitches, Urias became the first Dodger hurler to exceed 100 pitches in 2020. CK threw 99 twice, but did not exceed 100. Urias was done after 5.0 IP, got the win, and is now 3-0 in the playoffs. Kenley Jansen came in to relieve Julio. KJ was certainly not dominant, but he did throw strikes and got out of the inning on10 pitches and no base runners. That is what he is supposed to do. He is no longer the KJ of 2017. Unless it is another 15-0 game, KJ will not pitch in Game 4, and probably will not pitch in a meaningful spot for the remainder of the playoffs.
Baez followed with a perfect inning and 2 K’s. Wood followed with a shutout inning of his own, allowing a single and getting 2K’s. Contrary to what some may believe, Wood has not been hit hard in the NLCS. He gave up an infield single and then a fly ball double down the right field line by RHH Dansby Swanson, with the OF playing Swanson to pull. To his credit, Mookie took the blame for that ball dropping in. He was quoted as saying…”I need to…do my job”. Mookie said he would catch that fly almost any other night, but he was just to unfamiliar with the wall, and he did not look to see where he was at, but admitted he had room and should have caught it. I do not think anyone is going to hold Mookie to blame, but his point was that Wood made a good pitch and should have got the batter out to end the inning.
I personally was glad to see Adam Kolarek pitch the 9th against 6 RHH. He was hit hard but he got through it against some good RH bats. Kolarek was brilliant during the season, with a 0.95 ERA and 0.789 WHIP in 19.0 IP. He also allowed only one HR all season long until Albies hit it out against him in the 9th of Game 2. Should he have pitched to 6 RHH? Why not in a 15-1 game? What did it hurt? The Dodgers count on him, and he is going to need to face RHH in the series. I just would not let it be Ozzie Albies.
For all of those who doubted why Joc Pederson was on an October roster, hopefully he has proven why he belongs. When it comes to October, Joc comes alive. He got the key 3-run HR in the 1st inning and ended up with 4 hits. I wonder if Eric would allow him to be in the lineup against RHP Bryse Wilson. Or the other player Eric did not want to see in the playoffs, Kike’ Hernandez, who walked and singled against a RHP. He was responsible for the sole run in Game 1. Kike’ is another who seems to wake up in October.
Along with Joc, Corey Seager was again a hitting star with 3 hits. For the NLCS, Seager is 6-12 with 2 doubles, 2 HRs, 5 runs scored, and 7 RBI’s. It looks like Corey has come out to play this October. He has also made several very good defensive plays. I know I do not get a vote, but there is only one SS I want for LAD, and that is Corey Seager.
Max looks like he is coming to life. Even Belli is having a productive post season…comparatively speaking.
The Dodgers were 5-13 WRISP, and 11 2-out RBI’s. The Dodger hitters slugged 5 HRs and allowed only 1.
- Offensive stars – Joc, Corey, and Max.
- Pitching star – Julio Urias
Game 4 – Clayton Kershaw vs Bryse Wilson; 5:08 PM PT, Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas.
Houston beat Tampa Bay to extend the ALCS to at least 5 games. Pitchers TBD.
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Discussion (155)
Disagree, not disagreeable
It ain’t over til it’s over! 538 has us with a 55% chance of making the WS, and FanGraphs a 40% chance, after yesterday’s game.
We are just such a better road team!
Greet win and focus today. Needed this one for my blood pressure and fandom.
Robert’s is hard to stomach as listening to him post game would make you believe we won the series, but likely his Pollyanna approach works in the clubhouse so what do I know. It does rub me the wrong way but I guess that is a personal issue as he seems to be well liked by the people who matter. Don’t get it, don’t care for his managing or personality and still think if we get bounced in the NLCS, he should get bounced too. However I know he has another year left at least regardless of outcome.
Tomorrow is a must win, obvious statement of the year but we have to jump on them early. Ideally it is a close game where they have to expend some of their relief staff, especially, Matzek, Greene, Martin and Smith. O Day , Melancon and Minter do not worry me as much. Would like to force them to come back with Fried on short rest which I believe will happen regardless of the outcome tomorrow. Dayton, Wright and Tomlin done for the series due to horrible ineffectiveness. Ynoa threw 92 pitches today, so maybe could return for a game 7, but would love to see him then and would take my chances a second time. Seeing the facts above who are the Braves getting their next 81 outs from?? I don’t know, this Wilson toMorrow will likely give them 12 outs at most. Win tomorrow and where they get the next 54 becomes terrifying for them.
They will have to use Fried. I do not recall us facing many opposing pitchers on short rest in the last 8 years of the playoffs. There were times teams had chances to throw pitcher’s on short rest at us in game 4’s, Degrom in 2015 and Sherzer in 2016 but both teams elected to save them for game 5’s. One plan worked the other did not. I do recall in 2017 facing Robbie Ray on short rest, and beating him soundly after he completely dominated us throughout the regular season. Ray is not Fried but 2017 was his career year and he was dominant that year for the most part and their staff ace despite the presence of Greinke.
Hope my all time favorite Dodger can wake up with a sound back, and get it done!
Barring an injury meltdown, by Clayton (which I doubt), the Braves thin staff may average giving up 10 runs a game the rest of the way.l! They ain’t built for 7 straight days – the Dodgers are! This is where the Dodgers want the Braves. I am excited as last nights game was the first one I was really conscious of. I’ll be watching the rest. I’m almost 100% healthy and should be home by the weekend.
Thanks for the well wishes. I’ll be around – just not much until after surgery. I got this!
Nice one Mark – sure that one made you feel a little better.
We got the momentum now…..
I give Urias a pass on the first inning. He had warmed up, and then sat for the 45 minutes it took the Braves to get out of the first inning. It looked for a minute like same old story, and then Smith flipped the script. Joc hit his homer the opposite way. I missed Rios blast, potty break. Taylor was the only starter who did not get a hit. And they did this despite having 12 K’s during the game. 11 of the 12 came from the 5 hole down. With Smith, Rios and Taylor striking out 3 times each and Bellinger once. Barnes was the other K. Beaty got hit twice and Turner once, and they also sent Muncy sprawling on a pitch at his feet. Smoltz and Buck, who I cannot stand kept talking about Seager getting a shot at the cycle. But I was glad Roberts gave him a break. I also think anyone who thinks they threw in the towel when they were down 7-0 yesterday does not know these players very well. They are a tight knit team with a ton of fight in them and the skill to come back on anyone. They just fell a little short. I have a lot of faith that they will even the series tomorrow. Kersh is going to be nails.
Urias did his job and the bats came alive, now it’s up to Kershaw, win and it becomes a new series, lose and the Dodgers are down 3 games to 1 and in big trouble. His back has me worried.
Great article, AC. I do not expect another 16-hit game, but it would be a pleasant surprise. I do think they will win today supporting Clayton’s performance. And I agreeSeager is the offensive star and is my pick for MVP. Keep it up, Corey.
Swings at strikes and don’t chase. Don’t give away AB’s. I think that is the Dodgers hitting philosophy.
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Kolarek should never face Albies again. I was one of the few that stayed behind Joc and said he has shown up in October.
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I said last year that Seager and Bellinger had to show up for the Dodgers to win it all. Mookie can take some pressure off Belli this year. Seager has to hit for them to win. I hope it continues.
Wow! What a great game for a Dodgers fan. It couldn’t have been much more enjoyable. I also think that the Dodgers are set up well to come back and win this series. That seems funny to say when they’re down 2 games to 1 but I believe they will do it. I think Corey is going to keep hitting well, along with others hopefully.
Jeff, you mentioned that the 11 runs the Dodgers scored in the 1st was a major league playoff record. More impressive to me was the fact that the last 10 runs of that inning were scored with 2 outs. That is probably a Dodgers record in any MLB game and maybe a ML record as well. Does anyone know the answer to that?
I would imagine that Mr Bryse Wilson didn’t sleep too well last night.
I think Corey Seager has erased his playoff demons a little. What was interesting about last night was although they piled up all those runs, they did it without any booming hits off the bat of Mookie. Yes, he beat out the infield single to start everything and the offense is going to run through him, but after his hit and a walk in the first inning, he did not do anything. Of course he was pulled early, a decision I agree with. If Mookie gets hot the next couple of games, the Atl is definitely in trouble. I expect a good outing out of Kersh today. And guys like Floro, Graterol, McGee are rested enough to back him up.
Roberts is going to have to have the courage to pull Kershaw if he is not effective and is giving up a crooked number early. They cannot afford to get in too deep a hole. They have to keep the game close and give the offense time to counter punch. Of course, since they are hitting first, and this is most likely a bull pen day for the Braves, scoring first and scoring often takes the pressure off. I trust Kersh to pitch on of his better games today. Kershaw is 5-0 career wise against the Braves. He has never pitched in the new stadium in Texas. Atl has only hit 2 HR’s off of Kersh in 10 career starts. Barnes will be behind the plate today, which probably puts Smith in the DH role, maybe. They might want some LH pop in the DH role. Seager, Pederson, and Barnes are the only Dodgers OPSing over 1.000 in the post season. Another plus with Kersh there is that he is one of the best in the league at holding runners and not allowing stolen bases.
Smith better learn to hit a breaking ball quickly because that’s all he’s gonna get for a while. I’d rather have Rios’s bat in there today
If you ask me, I would play Pollock in LF and let Joc DH (or vice versa). I think Will Smith could benefit from a day off. But, I’m sure nobody is asking me.
White Sox have recieved permission to talk to LaRussa. ESPN reports this could be one of the most important starts of Kershaw’s career. I would tend to agree. CK gets them even with a gem, and it goes a long way to removing some of that post season stigma.
You’re right Bear. Huge night for Kersh. Win or go home tonight! Bring the lumber boys!
Fun game yesterday, though it was over after one inning, at which point I didn’t want to see us score 20 runs. From my memory, virtually every time in recent years that the Dodgers have had one of these scoring bonanzas, they don’t score much in the next game. But this may be different. In any case, it was one game, you cannot horde the runs.
Obviously, this is the crucial game. We are substantial favorites, over 2-1, to win this. If we do not, we are going to really have a tough time, facing Fried and Anderson in potential games six and seven. We still will, but tying the series at 2-2 gives us a pretty good chance to win it, not down 1-3. So it’s up to Kershaw, and then the bullpen. And we’ve got to keep hitting. If Kershaw goes out after five or so, I wonder what the bullpen usage will be. Probably they consider Treinen or Graterol as the closer. Baez is always iffy any time he is put in, so is Kelly. The best hope is to pile up some early runs, giving us enough margin to hold on even if our relievers start giving up walks and homeruns. I think we are still underdogs in the series, though the oddsmakers now have us a slight favorite. The Breves are good, we have seen that, we just need to be better. They were sure jumping around during Game 2, as if it were a party for them. Hopefully we will not see more of that.
I still don’t like Muncy batting fourth, grand slam with the score 7-0 or not. He has struggled all year. Bellinger is now doing better, so is Smith. Why is Muncy fourth simply, because they want this right-left procession for the late inning relievers to face? Well, maybe he will come through in a big moment. He had better, because the Braves will pitch around Turner to get to him, if they can. I would prefer that we treat the lineup traditionally, our best power hitter, at least with regard to the matchup against the starting pitcher, bats fourth.
Interesting that Atlanta hits breaking balls better than anyone, and that they are the best in MLB against 1st pitch strikes – both of which Kershaw is known for.
His record against Atlanta is excellent though.
AC, just wanted to say that I really like the titles you use for your articles. Good choices.
Just don’t give Freeman anything low and inside! And Ozuna looked pretty weak against Julio’s breaking stuff last night. If a Kersh can command the slider and curve like he did against the Brewers he’ll be fine. If not then it will be a struggle
Win or go home. Really? Last I knew the Dodgers are down 2 games to 1 in the series.
They have a huge advantage in game 5 starting pitchers as Atlanta doesn’t have one. Buehler vs. Fried in game 6 is a 50/50 game. And Gonsolin vs. Anderson will be for the series. Thats assuming the Dodgers lose game 4.
So going into game 6, I believe both teams will be viewing the last 2 games as 50/50 games. Ideally you would prefer to be the team up 3 – 2 going into game 6 but this series has just begun and is probably going 7.
Continuing my thought, today’s winner will be the team up 3 games to 2 going into game 6.
What could change the dynamics of game 6 and 7 would be if the Braves lose game 4 to Kersh/Dodgers, they might consider bringing Fried back for game 5 on short rest in hopes he can out pitch May and win game 5. Then go with a non-starter in game 6 against Buehler and save Anderson for game 7 vs. Gonsolin.
I would tend to lean that way if I’m the Braves.
Mark, its really good to see your voice. I’m so glad you are doing well. This reinfection interests me. I didn’t think that was possible. We were worried about you.
Thoughts on last night:
* WOW
* When you think you have baseball figured out, it’s just like golf. Enjoy it for that day because you really don’t.
* Is Ian Anderson that much better than Kyle Wright (7 ER) and Grant Dayton (8 ER)?
* I’m completely in agreement with Jeff about hitting early in counts on the first good pitch. With the way bullpens are now used, running up pitch counts is becoming less and less useful. As I mentioned yesterday, especially when you get a “Green Light Special”. Don’t take it and don’t miss it.
* Is Seager hot enough for ya. His balance at the plate and timing right now is perfect. “See 1st fat pitch-hit ball”
* I’m a very loyal guy. I will stick by people, especially friends, through thick and thin – for years. But don’t stab me in the back. I have a bad habit of being vindictive, to a fault, when that happens – forever. That’s how I feel about the Astros and their cheating. It’s unforgivable and the players got away with it and smugly. Every player I hold accountable. I rooted like hell yesterday for the Rays to put them away. I once love Altuve. Now I can’t stand the little cheater. I love it that he has the throwing yips.
* The yips have effected many good players and is amazing how “stinking thinking’s” can effect one’s mechanics, in this case throwing the baseball. It took a couple of bad throws and the press all over it to make it worse. The announcers can’t shut up about it. Altuve looks like he’s throwing pies. He’s tentative and you can see his lack of confidence and extra time on every throw. When he takes that time, he’s hearing the demons. “Don’t throw it away” which leads to guess what? He throws like a knuckleballer, shoving the ball out of his hand with no slings in the throw. I hope that continues and he soon has the whole winter to think about it.
* Like everyone, I hope CK can get some quality innings. I really like this match up now with our pitching set up right and the Braves searching for innings. I really like our chances.