Thanks to a Max Walk Off We Have a Series

WHAT A GAME!!!    18 innings – 7 ½ hours.  My nine-year-old granddaughter picked a great game to see her 1^st ML baseball game.  My daughter-in-law and granddaughter were decked out in Dodger gear, while my son was non-committal.  They stayed all 18 innings.  He just texted me (1:35 AM) and said UNBELIEVABLE!

 

Max Muncy comes close in the 15^th, and then unloads going oppo in the 18^th for the walk-off game winner.  The Dodgers backs were against the wall and once again they came through.  I kept score the entire game, but I wasn’t as thorough at the end of the game as I was in the beginning.

 

I just have to preface my comments by first acknowledging that nothing that Nathan Eovaldi did tonight diminishes my desire for the Dodgers to take a good long look at him in FA.  6+IP, 97 pitches, and he was still bringing it 98.  What a great outing.  He is picking up a lot of the $$$ that Machado is losing.

 

In the beginning, I was writing this post anticipating a Dodger win.  Okay I know they are still down 2 games to 1, and the BoSox still have home field advantage, but it still feels good to write that the Dodgers won Game 3, and Eovaldi is done until at least Game 6.  The Dodgers get Dick Mountain against Drew Pomerantz (or Eduardo Rodriguez) and the rest of the Red Sox bullpen in Game 4.  I like the Dodgers chances.

 

I guess we cannot officially pass the Ace torch to Striker, but the fat lady is fully into her aria.  I still believe that Kershaw will not throw 2 bad games in the same series, so he is good for a great Game 5.  And while I do not like to think about it, it could be his last game as a Dodger at Dodger Stadium (I honestly do not think that will happen).  Buehler goes 7 innings of 2 hit ball with 7 strikeouts and no walks, facing one over the minimum, only to see Kenley give up the tying HR in the 8th to JBJ, again with 2 outs.  JBJ crushed a cutter that came back over the middle of the plate.

 

Joc’s 3^rd inning HR is why I think he is coveted by FAZ.  His 9 pitch K in the 8^th probably had no change in their thought process.

 

While it probably had no impact on the game, the lack of hustle on Machado’s single in the 7^th probably killed any thought of Machado getting signed by LAD as a FA.  If not then, his swing and miss at Ball 4 in the 8^th with a runner on more than likely sealed his fate.  Easier said than done, but it would have been great for Machado to hit it into RF where JDM moved to for his AB and force Martinez to make a play. Instead he swung as if he wanted to hit it 500 feet and missed on a pitch way up out of the zone.  In the 10^th, with a runner on 2^nd and the game on the line, Machado pops out.  Then in the 13^th with a runner on 1^st and nobody out he lifts a fly ball to Holt in LF, and then another pop up in the 15^th. He certainly was not the only star to have a tough game, but thus far he is not doing what the Dodgers were hoping for when they made the July trade.  I guess I am glad that Muncy ended it before Machado could have another AB.  But tomorrow is another day, and Machado could become a hero.  I know many still want Manny to sign with the Dodgers.  Would I pay him more than JDM?  Only slightly because of his age and he plays a premium defensive position.  But there is no comparison offensively.

 

In the 9^th, with a pitch away from a LHP (Price) Belli cuts down his swing and pokes it into LF.  He is really maturing as a hitter.  Like everyone else he was trying to unload in extra innings and was not able to get on base.  After Belli’s leadoff single in the 9th, I had no problem with Puig NOT sacrificing as was being discussed.  He may have been a little too aggressive, but Puig is more apt to end it with a HR than bunt Belli over.  Belli getting picked was not a Phi Beta Kappa move.  None of us have any idea where Price makes his next pitch to Grandal, so I do not know if there would be two runners on with one out or not.  My hope now is that the base running gaffe by Belli does not mess with his psyche.

 

Pedro Baez’s change has become a lethal pitch.  Who knew?  That 2-1 change he threw to JDM was a beauty.  I thought he had Kinsler picked, but I understand that it may have been too close to overturn.  Belli did not make a great throw to 3^rd to try and nail Kinsler on Holt’s single.  But that throw home on his catch of a Nunez fly ball to nail Kinsler was something to behold.  I know he is a gifted 1B, but I do not take him out of CF.  He is a difference maker in the OF.  I guess his psyche is okay after all.  Not lost by me was the great tag and hold by Austin Barnes.  Does Grandal hold on to the ball???

 

I was writing various scenarios during the game.  For much of it I was anticipating a Dodger win. I mean how could the Dodgers lose a game after a brilliant pitching performance by Striker Buehler.  He did not get the W, but I do not think he will mind.  Then I started to complete a write up for a loss in the top of the 13th.  And then the Dodgers tied it up in the bottom of the 13^th, and I stopped anticipating.   Alexander goes from 0-2 on LHH Holt to a walk and a WP putting a runner on 2^nd.  Bad read by Muncy and a bad throw to 1^st that Kike’ could not handle and Holt scores on the errant throw.  So, the pitcher that sent the usually reliable Caleb Ferguson off the roster, walks a batter in the 13^th after going 0-2, throws a wild pitch, and then makes an error to allow the run.

 

Muncy more than makes up for it with his heads up base running play on a foul pop out by Belli with Nunez going into the stands.    Puig follows with an infield single and a Kinsler throwing error scores Muncy.  2-2!!!

 

Maybe Kenta Maeda was having problems throwing strikes to the first two batters he faced in the 15th, but he had no problem throwing a strike to JT on a Vasquez bunt.  That was a tremendous play for Maeda to get Nunez at 3^rd in the 15^th. Then he comes back and strikes out Leon and Betts.  Okay maybe he had a little help from the umpire on Bett’ strike 3, but he did get the call.  After allowing the first two batters to get on and getting the out at 3^rd on a bunt, Maeda struck out the next 5 batters.  It was an outstanding effort by Kenta.

 

Eovaldi continues to deal and young Julio Urias takes over for Maeda in the 17^th, and proceeds to shut down the Red Sox, allowing only a 2 out walk to JBJ.  Probably not a bad idea.  But Urias was only going to pitch the 1 inning and that was verified when Clayton came in to PH for him.  He got nice wood on the ball, but it was right at Mookie Betts.

 

Alex Wood comes in and proceeds to walk the first batter.  Come on, look at the bright side, it was not a lead off HR.  And then he narrowly misses a DP on a Mookie Betts ground ball to SS, and then gets Bogaerts to hit into a 6-4-3 DP to end the top of the 18^th.  And now we all know what happened in the bottom of the 18^th.

 

Betts goes 0-7 only reaching base 1 time on an intentional walk, and Xander Bogaerts goes 0-8.  The number 3 batter in the lineup goes 0-7, but three of those AB’s were from Eovaldi.  JDM and Kinsler go 0-6 with a walk.  So, the first 4 batters go 0-25 and the first five 1-31.  Nunez, JBJ, and the catchers were once again the problems for the Dodger pitchers.

 

What a tremendous effort by the bullpen.  Especially from Floro, Maeda, Urias, and Wood.  Yes Dodgerrick, even Alex Wood had a good inning.  And he got the win.  Even Ryan Madson came in to get the one batter he was asked to face. I cannot see why anyone will be limited tomorrow for the Dodgers.

 

Dick Mountain for Game 4, and Clayton Kershaw for Game 5.  I do not like getting ahead of myself, but I sure like the odds of the Dodgers going back to Boston with a 3 games to 2 lead.

 

GO BLUE!!  KEEP THE FAITH!!!