Dodgers' Chris Taylor Calls 3-HR Game 5 Performance vs. Braves 'Surreal'
Oct 22, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Chris Taylor hits a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of baseball's National League Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Chris
Taylor said even he was caught off guard by his three home runs in
Thursday night's Game 5 win over the Atlanta Braves to keep the
team's season alive.
Taylor recorded four hits in five
at-bats to drive in six runs as part of the Dodgers' 11-2 rout of the
Braves to trim their National League Championship Series deficit to
3-2.
"It's definitely a surreal
feeling," Taylor told reporters. "I never thought I was
going to hit three homers in a game, let alone a postseason game."
The air was initially taken out of
Dodger Stadium on Thursday as L.A. was facing elimination and Atlanta
superstar Freddie Freeman drilled a two-run homer in the first inning
to grab an early lead.
With emerging Braves ace Max Fried, one
of MLB's best pitchers since the All-Star break, on the mound and the
Dodgers leaning on a bullpen game, it appeared the Dodgers' season
was in danger.
Instead, Taylor came to the rescue with
a little help from left fielder AJ Pollock, who homered twice, and
the Los Angeles bullpen shut down the Braves' offense after the
opening frame to send the series back to Atlanta.
"You gotta take the lows with the
highs," Taylor said. "Everything gets amplified in the
postseason. And it's a game of failures. You're going to make
mistakes. And then there's moments like tonight where that's what
makes it worth it. That's why you just put your head down and keep
moving forward."
If the NLCS script sounds familiar,
it's because the series is following an eerily similar path to last
year.
In the 2020 NLCS, the Braves held 2-0
and 3-1 series advantages over the Dodgers and took an early 2-0 lead
in Game 5 before L.A. stormed back to stun Atlanta in seven games. It went on to win the World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Now, with Los Angeles aiming for a
repeat performance, manager Dave Roberts said he was impressed with
his club's response to the back-against-the-wall situation.
"I saw fight," Roberts said.
"I saw fight."
While the Dodgers will have to win the
final two games on the road, they have their top two starters, Max
Scherzer and Walker Buehler, lined up to bolster the comeback
chances.
Game 6, which will feature a pitching
matchup of Scherzer vs. the Braves' Ian Anderson, is set for Saturday
night.
3-Homer Hero Chris Taylor Swings Momentum Back to Dodgers After Game 5 NLCS Win
Oct 22, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Chris Taylor #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run in the seventh inning during Game 5 of the NLCS between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on Thursday, October 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
At the outset of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, it took mere minutes for the Los Angeles Dodgers to go from merely disadvantaged to something more like doomed.
Several hours later, though, the NLCS suddenly had a whole new feel to it as the Dodgers wrapped up an 11-2 romp over Atlanta.
After Joe Kelly's opening act at Dodger Stadium on Thursday saw him get exactly as many outs as the number of runs he surrendered allowing a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers needed a hero to stand up to Atlanta ace Max Fried and, ultimately, save the home team from elimination.
Like he did in the National League Wild Card Game, Chris Taylor heard the call and came running.
Or, more accurately, swinging. The 31-year-old All-Star drove in six of the Dodgers' 11 runs with the help of not one, not two, but three home runs:
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Taylor is the first player in Major League Baseball history to homer three times with his team facing elimination in a postseason game. He's also up to nine runs batted in elimination games just in this October.
As they now trail 3-2 in the series, the defending World Series champions will play another one of those in Game 6 on Saturday. Obviously, they'll have to win it to force yet another in Game 7 on Sunday. This is to say they're not out of the woods yet, which isn't even to mention that the next two games will be in Atlanta's backyard at Truist Park.
Yet the Dodgers ought to be feeling good right now, and not just because this wouldn't be their first time climbing out of a 3-1 hole in the NLCS against Atlanta.
Dodgers Players of the Game
3B Chris Taylor: 4-for-5, 3 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI. In addition to being the first to do it in an elimination game, he also became just the 11th player to hit three home runs in any playoff game. If he can do it again, he'll join Babe Ruth as the only players to do it twice.
LF AJ Pollock: 3-for-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI. On any other night, he would have had center stage all to himself. As it is, he'll gladly take his second multi-homer game in the last 30 days.
1B Albert Pujols: 2-for-4, 1 BB, 2 R. The future Hall of Famer's still got it, folks. Or at least some version of "it," as he became the fifth-oldest player to reach base three times in a playoff game on Thursday.
Atlanta Players of the Game
1B Freddie Freeman: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI. Remember when he was 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in the first two games of this series? He's now 6-for-12 with two home runs since then. It's almost as if he's the reigning NL MVP.
LF Eddie Rosario: 2-for-4, 1 2B. He stayed in the yard after going deep twice in Game 4, but he's nonetheless now 12-for-21 in the series. Not bad for a guy who was literally traded for Pablo Sandoval in July.
For All Their Problems, the Dodgers Still Have Hope
Should a team that won 106 games in the regular season before dispatching a 107-win team in the first round of the playoffs even be in the position that the Dodgers are in, wherein a mere 88-win team has pushed them to the brink?
Sans context? Probably not. But with context, it makes sense.
The current iteration of the Dodgers is a diminished version of what was the most talented team in either league for much of the regular season. And they're only getting more diminished, as they began the postseason without ace Clayton Kershaw (forearm) and slugger Max Muncy (elbow) and also lost veteran Justin Turner (hamstring) on Wednesday.
So it went in the first inning of Thursday's game.
After starting aces Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias in Games 2, 3 and 4, it was pretty much due to a lack of better options that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opened with Kelly in Game 5. He just didn't have it, and he became yet another injury bug casualty upon leaving with bicep tightness. He won't appear again this postseason.
At that point, FanGraphs put the Dodgers' chances of winning Game 5 at about 33 percent. Put another way, there was a 67 percent chance that their quest to become the first repeat champions since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees would come to an end on Thursday.
This did not come to pass.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: AJ Pollock #11 celebrates with Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning during Game 5 of the NLCS between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium on Thursday, October 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Credit how Roberts managed his bullpen and, even more so, how emphatically his relievers shut the door. After Kelly served up two runs on two hits in the first, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen, Corey Knebel and Kenley Jansen shut Atlanta out on three hits, no walks and nine strikeouts the rest of the way.
A heavy workload, to be sure, but those guys will get to rest up on Friday's travel day. Come Saturday, they'll be in for light duty in Game 6 if Scherzer can find the same form with which he produced a 1.98 ERA in 11 starts for the Dodgers down the stretch.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner didn't do that as he got knocked around in Game 2, which he chalked up to a "dead" arm resulting from his ninth-inning work against the San Francisco Giants in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. But this time around, he'll be on full rest and then some after sitting for five days.
If Scherzer can lead the Dodgers to victory in Game 6, Roberts will be able to turn to Buehler on regular rest in Game 7. The two-time All-Star has had his ups and downs over the last two months, yet his four starts in postseason elimination games have yielded a stellar 1.25 ERA.
On the other side of the ball, it's perhaps a good omen for the Dodgers that their offensive outburst in Game 5 gave them the edge in runs scored for the entire series, 25-24.
Even aside from Taylor's heroics—"I was hoping for four," quipped Pujols—out of the No. 7 spot, there were positive signs aplenty for the Dodgers offense on Thursday. Pujols' good night was a tease that, even at 41, he can handle extra work with Turner sidelined. Cody Bellinger continued his October resurgence with three hits, while batting champion Trea Turner busted out of a slump with three hits of his own.
There's also, of course, Pollock.
He went into Game 5 sitting on just six hits in 26 at-bats this October, as well as just one home run in 101 career plate appearances in the playoffs. At 107.7 and 108.2 mph, respectively, he busted out of these slumps with his fourth and fifth hardest-hit home runs of the season.
None of this guarantees further success from these guys in Games 6 and/or 7, but the Dodgers will gladly take the signs of life amid a postseason in which they've scored two or fewer runs in five of their 11 games. And in Mookie Betts, Corey Seager and Will Smith, they already had three hitters who didn't necessarily need warming in Game 5.
As far as Atlanta's comfort goes, Brian Snitker's club is indeed still in the driver's seat. It's also not exactly short-handed.
Though aces Ian Anderson and Charlie Morton struggled in Games 2 and 3, both can easily cut through an opposing lineup when they're on. Atlanta also has some hot offensive hands in Freeman, Rosario and Ozzie Albies, and it got a key player back when slugger Jorge Soler came off the COVID-19 injured list on Thursday.
Nevertheless, Atlanta is in about as precarious a spot as a team with a 3-2 lead and home-field advantage can be. Because if Game 5 proves to be a springboard for the Dodgers offense in support of Scherzer in Game 6 and Buehler in Game 7, there will be only so many scenarios in which they don't steal another NLCS from Atlanta.
What's Next for the Dodgers and Atlanta?
Barring any unexpected switcheroos from Roberts or Snitker, Scherzer and Anderson will indeed oppose each other in Game 6 on Saturday at Truist Park.
First pitch is currently scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. If the Houston Astros defeat the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Friday, Game 6 of the NLCS will be moved to the prime-time slot at 8 p.m. ET.
Dodgers' Justin Turner's Postseason Likely over with Hamstring Injury
Oct 21, 2021
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 16: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to Game One of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 16, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner left Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday with a leg injury.
Justin Turner, battling a hamstring injury, limping as he runs to first base and likely will be coming out of the game.
The 36-year-old had yet another solid season for the Dodgers, hitting .278 with 27 homers, 87 RBI, 87 runs and a .832 OPS. That was good enough to get him his second All-Star nod. He remains a key component of a loaded L.A. team that is again in "World Series or bust" mode.
Turner has become a staple for the Dodgers, spending eight seasons with the team at the hot corner. In that time, he's emerged as one of the game's most reliable and productive third baseman, winning a title with the team in 2020. The Dodgers have never missed the postseason in his time with the team.
He's largely been healthy this season, though left groin discomfort cost him a few games in August.
Look for Chris Taylor to start in place of Turner at third base, as he did back in August.
"I feel like if you can play short, you can play anywhere," Taylor told reporters at the time.
He'll be putting that to the test yet again while Turner is sidelined.
Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger Fuel Dodgers Rally in Stunning Game 3 Win over Braves
Oct 20, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 19: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a 3-run home run during the 8th inning of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on October 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Some players just seem to be born for October baseball. Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts are two of them.
The pair spearheaded a huge eighth-inning rally in Game 3 of the NLCS, helping the Dodgers secure a crucial 6-5 win over the Atlanta Braves. Bellinger's three-run homer and Betts' RBI double erased a three-run deficit and helped the Dodgers avoid a 3-0 hole in the series.
But Charlie Morton escaped a bases-loaded jam after walking three straight batters, minimizing the early damage.
That looked as though it might be huge. The Braves responded with a four-run outburst in the top of the fourth, aided by a few fielding blunders from the Dodgers and some control issues from Walker Buehler.
The Braves were cruising with a three-run lead entering the eighth inning and were about to be one game away from securing their first National League pennant since 1999.
Enter Bellinger. Enter Betts.
That's Cody Bellinger's 4th career game-tying or go-ahead hit in the 8th inning or later of a postseason game, tied for 5th-most in postseason history, behind only:
Bernie Williams: 6 Pete Rose: 6 David Ortiz: 5 J.D. Drew: 5
Bellinger had trouble catching up to velocity all season. That pitch was a 96 mph fastball up and out of the strike zone. Not a bad pitch. Bellinger was just ready for it. This place is still shaking.
Cody Bellinger, LAD: 1-for-3, one homer, three RBI
Corey Seager, LAD: 1-for-4, one homer, two RBI
Mookie Betts, LAD: 2-for-3, two walks, one run, one RBI
Charlie Morton, ATL: Five innings, three hits allowed, six walks, two runs
Adam Duvall, ATL: 2-for-5, two RBI
Joc Pederson, ATL: 2-for-4, one run, one RBI
The Dodgers Need Their Bats To Wake Up
In Games 1 and 2, the Dodgers were 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position, stranding 17. The bats were silent for much of Game 3, and the obituaries were being written:
I feel like if the Dodgers lose this series, there's going to be about 1000x more focus on "Dave Roberts' pitching decisions" than on "the offense forgot how to hit baseballs hard or drive in runners," and that is going to be backwards
I know I published a big thing about the Dodgers' pitching usage but they haven't allowed more than five runs in a game since Oct. 1. It's just not as tactically interesting to say they forgot how to hit.
A theme had emerged—the opportunities were there, but the Dodgers didn't capitalize. The season was on life support. And then Bellinger and Betts did what stars do—they produced. And it couldn't have come at a better time for the Dodgers.
A 2-1 deficit is far more manageable than 3-0. The Dodgers just need those bats to stay hot.
Atlanta's Bullpen Finally Cracked
Through two games and seven innings, Atlanta's relievers gave up just two runs on four hits. They largely neutralized one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball.
But Luke Jackson ended that hot streak, giving up four runs on four hits in just 0.1 innings of work in the eighth on Tuesday.
Luke Jackson tonight, 4 H. 4R. Luke Jackson dating back to late September 5 H, 1 R. Bad night to have a bad night.
It’s Luke Jackson. He never looks comfortable. Even when he’s doing well, he’s teetering on the brink. AND WHY IN GOD’S NAME IS SNITKER LEAVING HIM OUT THERE??? https://t.co/m6ywWsT7nV
Atlanta's bullpen, like the rest of the team in an injury-riddled season, had been on something of a magical run of late. At least some of that magic ran out on Tuesday.
What's Next?
Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8:08 p.m. ET in Los Angeles (TBS). Julio Urias is scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers, with Atlanta's starter yet to be named.
Buster Posey Returning for 2022 Season a 'High Priority' for Giants, Zaidi Says
Oct 19, 2021
San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey watches his solo home run during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
The San Francisco Giants have made it a priority to bring back veteran catcher Buster Posey for a 13th season, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said Monday, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).
The Giants plan to exercise Posey's $22 million club option for the 2022 season, provided the 34-year-old wants to continue playing.
"He is, in our estimation, the best catcher in baseball this year," Zaidi said. "Obviously want to have conversations with Buster and continue to have internal conversations about that, but having him on this team next year is a high priority."
Posey signed an eight-year, $159 million extension in March 2013. The contract was the second-largest signed by a catcher at the time. At points during his current deal, it didn't seem like San Francisco would be interested in picking up his 2022 option.
The former MVP underwent hip surgery in 2019 and sat out the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season to care for his newly adopted newborn twins.
However, Posey looked rejuvenated during the 2021 campaign, which was his best since 2017. He hit .304/.390/.499, with 56 RBI and 18 home runs in 113 games as San Francisco captured the National League West title for the first time since the 2012 season.
Despite his success this year, the three-time World Series champion wouldn't commit to returning for the 2022 campaign following San Francisco's Game 5 National League Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I'm definitely just going to take some time with my wife, talk to her and be able to be a full-time dad of four kids for the first time in a while," he said, per NBC Sports Bay Area. "Yeah, just kind of take it slowly and see how things progress."
If Posey decides to retire this winter, the Giants will rely on Curt Casali and the No. 16-ranked prospect in baseball Joey Bart during the 2022 season.
Casali appeared in 77 games for San Francisco this season, hitting .210/.313/.350 with five home runs and 26 RBI. The 32-year-old will be entering his ninth season in 2022.
Bart, meanwhile, has limited experience at the big league level. In 35 career games across two seasons, the 24-year-old slashed .239/.291/.321 with eight RBI and no home runs.
Bart spent most of the 2021 season in Triple-A, hitting .294/.358/.472 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI in 67 games.
Report: Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. Opts Not to Have Surgery on Shoulder Injury
Oct 18, 2021
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JULY 24: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres in action against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on July 24, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The 22-year-old has battled persistent shoulder trouble all season. The Padres placed him on the 10-day injured list to close out July after he experienced the third partial dislocation of his left shoulder.
Acee explained how the window for him to undergo surgery is closing rapidly since waiting any longer would likely mean a recovery period that extended into the 2022 MLB season.
At the time of Tatis' IL stint, San Diego manager Jayce Tingler acknowledged the 2021 All-Star could have surgery if he failed to make any progress during his IL stint.
Tatis was one of three Padres position players—joining Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado—to make the 2021 All-Star Game. He was one of MLB's best hitters, finishing with 42 home runs and a .975 OPS. His 6.1 WAR were second on FanGraphs among position players.
Perhaps rest is all Tatis needs over the coming months to allow his shoulder to heal. By not taking a more proactive route, though, he might raise concerns about the injury once again becoming an issue next season.
Austin Riley Walk-Off Single Gives Braves NLCS Game 1 over Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Oct 17, 2021
Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley runs past Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Albert Pujols (55) after hitting a home run during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's National League Championship Series Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
After a three-day break, the Atlanta Braves continued their winning ways this postseason with a dramatic 3-2 walk-offvictory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Austin Riley played the role of hero in the win. After hitting a solo homer in the fourth that tied the game at two, he walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with a double into left field that scored Ozzie Albies from second.
The Braves, playing in their first game since eliminating the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, sent ace Max Fried to the mound for his second start of the playoffs. The southpaw tossed six shutout innings with nine strikeouts in Game 2 against the Brewers.
For the second consecutive game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts eschewed from using a traditional starter in favor of reliever Corey Knebel. The right-hander started Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.
Both pitching staffs fared very well in this game. Fried only allowed two runs over six innings. Seven Dodgers combined to allow just six hits, but Blake Treinen took the loss because he was unable to get through the ninth.
Notable Game Stats
Max Fried (ATL): 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Austin Riley (ATL): 2-for-4, Solo HR, 2 RBI
Ozzie Albies (ATL): 2-for-4, run scored
Mookie Betts (LA): 0-for-4
Will Smith (LA): 1-for-4, Solo HR
Chris Taylor (LA): 2-for-3, 2B, RBI
Braves Steal Game 1 in Dramatic Fashion
The biggest saving grace for the Braves in 2021 was Riley's breakout performance. The 2015 first-round pick only hit .232/.288/.448 in 131 games between 2019 and 2020 combined. He hit .303/.367/.531 with 33 homers and 107 RBI in 160 games this season.
Riley already delivered in the playoffs before tonight, with a solo homer in Game 2 against the Brewers to seal the 3-0 win for Atlanta.
The 24-year-old had the biggest homer of his career in the fourth inning on Saturday to tie the score at two.
It would have been the biggest hit of his career, if not for what he did in the bottom of the ninth off Blake Treinen.
Riley's heroics on Saturday also took some of the focus away from Freddie Freeman's rough night. The reigning NL MVP went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. He didn't have one game during the regular season with no hits and four strikeouts.
Albies did a fantastic job of putting pressure on Treinen in the bottom of the ninth. The two-time All-Atar reached first on a flyball single that fell between Taylor and Trea Turner in the outfield.
On the first pitch of Riley's at-bat, Albies stole second to put himself in scoring position. Riley took care of business from there.
Expectations for the Braves shifted dramatically at various points during the regular season. The biggest change came on July 10 when Ronald Acuna Jr. tore his ACL.
Rather than try to play for next year, though, Atlanta's front office pushed its chips back on the table. The outfield was rebuilt with the acquisitions of Joc Pederson and Eddie Rosario. Neither of them replaced what Acuna offers, but they were better than a standard replacement player from Triple-A.
Riley turning into a bonafide star helped offset the loss of Acuna. The Braves are still playing in October and are three wins away from reaching their first World Series since 1999.
Poor Execution Costs Dodgers
Looking at the results for the Dodgers throughout this postseason, there hasn't been a consistent formula that has given them success.
In the NL Wild Card Game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Max Scherzer only lasted 4.1 innings because he threw 94 pitches and walked three hitters. That didn't hurt them because the bullpen only allowed one hit in 4.2 innings and Chris Taylor hit a walk-off homer.
Against the Giants in the NLDS, the Dodgers were shut out in their two losses and needed a ninth-inning single by Cody Bellinger in Game 5 to advance.
By going with Knebel to start, Roberts was indirectly signaling that more creativity would be needed to get a win. Unfortunately for Roberts and the team, things didn't go as expected.
Smith gave Los Angeles its first lead in the top of the fourth with a solo homer off Fried.
The matchup with Fried didn't seem like it would cause the Dodgers more problems than if they went up against a right-handed starter. They had a .757 OPS against southpaws during the regular season.
Fried did do a good job of containing the offense during his six innings of work. The Dodgers also aided in keeping the score close.
Taylor led off the top of the seventh with a bloop double. Roberts, rather than try to keep applying pressure, opted to have Austin Barnes lay down a sacrifice bunt for the first out.
Braves reliever Tyler Matzek escaped trouble by getting Mookie Betts to pop out and Trea Turner to strike out. Los Angeles was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Game 1. The Braves only had two at-bats with a runner in scoring position all game.
The Dodgers appeared to have a threat developing with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Taylor stumbled trying to go from first to third on a single by Cody Bellinger and was thrown out to end the inning.
Even when the offense has struggled to score runs in this postseason, as was the case Saturday, the pitching has often been fantastic. Eight different pitchers combined to give up just six hits with 14 strikeouts, but Treinen wound up taking the loss.
Phil Bickford, who was claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers in May, recorded three of his four outs in this game via strikeout.
One loss, especially in this situation, doesn't mean it's time for the Dodgers to start panicking. They were playing their first game after an emotional and intense five-game series against their biggest rival.
The Braves were well rested and could line up their pitching staff however manager Brian Snitker wanted. Things worked out for the NL East champions.
Heading into Game 2, though, the Dodgers will have Max Scherzer on the bump as they try to even the series. The three-time Cy Young winner has only allowed two runs in 12.1 innings over three appearances this postseason.
What's Next?
Max Scherzer will make his third start of the playoffs for the Dodgers in Game 2 against Ian Anderson and the Braves on Sunday at 7:38 p.m. ET on TBS.
Zero to Playoff Hero: Cody Bellinger's Hit Seals Epic, Controversial Dodgers Win
Oct 15, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after hitting an RBI-single against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Before the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants even took the field for Game 5 of the National League Division Series, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully posted a rare tweet calling it the "most important game" in the history of the two teams' long-running rivalry.
He, of course, would know. And yet, even one so wise as Scully couldn't have known that the third do-or-die showdown between the Dodgers and Giants would be infused with enough drama and controversy to also make it one of the greatest games they've ever played.
As far as the Dodgers are concerned, the only thing that matters is they walked away from Oracle Park on Thursday with a 2-1 victory. They got their runs on two RBI knocks, including the big one for the lead in the ninth inning courtesy of goat-turned-hero Cody Bellinger:
All the reigning World Series champions needed after that was for 37-year-old Max Scherzer, by trade an ace starter with three Cy Young Awards, to finish off the game for the first save of his professional career. And finish it he did, notably by striking out the last two batters.
Alas, the latter of those two strikeouts was determined by what could come to be known as The Check Swing Heard 'Round the World. Because while first base umpire Gabe Morales ruled that Wilmer Flores didn't check his swing on an 0-2 slider, it sure looked like he did.
Regardless, the series is over. It's a pity not just for the Giants, who depart for the winter knowing that their nemesis is on to face Atlanta in the National League Championship Series, but for any baseball fan who enjoyed watching these two teams go at it in 2021.
It's ultimately all there in the records, both in terms of how many games the Dodgers (110) and Giants (109) won individually but also in how they split their 24-game season series: right down the middle, with 12 wins apiece.
Dodgers Players of the Game
1B/CF Cody Bellinger: 1-for-4, 1 RBI. See above.
SS Corey Seager: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI. Though the lead it gave the Dodgers didn't last long, his RBI double in the sixth opened the scoring.
RF Mookie Betts: 4-for-4, 1 SB, 1 R. He preceded Seager's go-ahead hit in the sixth with a single and a stolen base. By the end, he was the first hitter in Dodgers history to collect four hits in a postseason elimination game, per ESPN Stats and Info.
LHP Julio Urias: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 R, 5 K. The Dodgers pulled a fast one by starting out with two relievers before inserting Urias, but the young left-hander more than did his part with four mostly brilliant innings of work.
Giants Players of the Game
RHP Logan Webb: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 7 K. He followed up his excellent outing in Game 1 with yet another stellar showcase on Thursday. Given that he also put up a 3.03 ERA in the regular season, it's fair to say the Giants' next ace has arrived.
LF Darin Ruf: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI. Not long after Seager's double, Ruf answered with a booming 452-foot home run in the bottom half of the inning. Albeit in defeat now, the 35-year-old journeyman can look back proudly on what was easily his best season as a major leaguer.
Cody Bellinger, Fallen MVP, Is Redeemed
With runners on first and second with one out, the odds were technically in the Dodgers' favor when Bellinger strode to the plate to face Camilo Doval in the ninth. To be exact, FanGraphs had Los Angeles' chances of winning at 58.1 percent.
But if any Dodgers fans intuitively felt the real odds were much lower at that moment, well, they can be forgiven.
After all, the Bellinger of 2021 didn't quite resemble his MVP-winning self from 2019 or even the less dominant but still good version of him that showed up to last year's shortened season. This new Bellinger was downright bad, hitting just .165 and slipping well below replacement level with minus-1.5 rWAR.
To be fair, his struggles were less a story of incompetence and more one of injuries. The 26-year-old entered the year still recovering from right shoulder surgery, and he subsequently spent time on the injured list with a broken leg and hamstring tightness.
Though Bellinger picked it up by going 4-for-13 with two walks through the National League Wild Card Game against the St. Louis Cardinals and the first four games of the NLDS, how much any of that even mattered when Bellinger got into the box was a good question. Especially against a pitcher like Doval.
Even if he didn't quite approach his high of 104.5 mph from his time in the minors, the young right-hander didn't throw anything slower than 99 mph in Games 1 and 3 of the NLDS. He thus had the goods to handle Bellinger, who hit just .143 against 95-plus mph fastballs in the regular season.
But, for whatever reason, Doval started Bellinger with a slider. He then threw another, and then another. By the fourth one, the jig was up and Bellinger added another clutch postseason hit to a resume that already included huge knocks in both the 2018 and 2020 iterations of the National League Championship Series.
Per Juan Toribio of MLB.com, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman summed it up well:
He's been in so many big spots in his young career, and I think his ability to slow it down and how hard he's worked to put himself in a big position to get a big hit shouldn't get lost in all of this. Obviously [he] struggled throughout the regular season, but it never stopped him from working and grinding.
Bellinger may not be so fortunate the next time he faces a power pitcher in these playoffs, but the Dodgers can worry about that another day. The important part now is that a player who had been a huge liability for them is suddenly not only functional but integral again.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger runs to first base after hitting an RBI-single against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Also newly established in the integral column is Betts, who likewise came alive in the NLDS after a season that was good but also not up to his typical MVP-caliber standards. Even before collecting four hits on Thursday, he was the man in the middle in the Dodgers' 7-2 win in Game 4.
Then there's the pitching. Goodness, is there the pitching.
After spotting the Giants four runs in Game 1, the Dodgers permitted them only six runs over the next four contests. That wasn't the doing of one, two or even three key pitchers. It was a true group effort, aided by everyone from Urias to Scherzer to Walker Buehler to Kenley Jansen to Blake Treinen to Corey Knebel to Joe Kelly.
Some credit should also be given to the man at the control panel. At no point did Dodgers manager Dave Roberts push a pitching button that didn't work.
The biggest risk he took—no doubt with full approval from his front office—was opening with Knebel for Game 5 in lieu of simply handing the ball to Urias. A bit too cute? Maybe. But it was strategically sound, and it obviously paid off.
It all adds up to a solid list of reasons for why the Dodgers, who won 106 games in the regular season, were able to get past the Giants, who did them one better with 107. It's now debatable as to whether any of the teams left in the playoff field can stop them, much less an Atlanta club that captured only 88 victories this season.
That is not a swing. A swing is not that. Ergo, Flores did not swing and the count should have been 1-2. Not exactly an advantageous count, but better that than, you know, a season-ending strikeout.
We're speaking subjectively here, but only because we have to. As Rodger Sherman of The Ringer (and many others) noted on Twitter, Major League Baseball's rulebook doesn't offer clear explanations for what differentiates a swing from a check swing. Check swings therefore fall into that gray area of events that require an umpire's discretion.
To this end, Morales called it as he saw it:
From ump Gabe Morales, who made the final call: "Check swings are one of the hardest calls we have. I don't have the benefit of multiple camera angles when I'm watching it live. When it happened live, I thought he went, so that's why I called it a swing."
In fairness to Morales, his call doesn't look so bad if the only replay you see is that of the center-field camera with no slow motion. He had a better view from his perch behind first base, but not that much better than any casual TV viewer's in real time.
It makes sense, then, that Giants manager Gabe Kapler was in an understanding mood after the game:
Kapler: “super tough way to end a game like that. There’s no reason to be angry, it’s just a disappointing way to end it. But there are other reasons we lost that game.”
Good sportsmanship aside, this is a case where justice is needed.
Though MLB obviously can't trot the Dodgers and Giants back out to Oracle Park and have them redo the ninth inning, it can and must pursue changes to the rules and replay protocols. The former should get long-overdue specifications on what constitutes a check swing, and the latter need to be expanded so managers can actually challenge what umpires might have missed in a fraction of a second.
This way, any future Flores-like catastrophes might be avoided.
What's Next for the Dodgers?
For the second time in as many years, it's Dodgers vs. Atlanta in the National League Championship Series. It's a best-of-seven series that will begin at Truist Park on Saturday.
Fresh off his first career save, the Dodgers are planning on starting Scherzer in Game 1. At the time of writing, Atlanta hasn't announced its opening starter, but it'll likely be left-hander Max Fried, who last pitched in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, Oct. 9.
Giants' Gabe Kapler: 'No Reason to Be Angry' Over Controversial Ending vs. Dodgers
Oct 15, 2021
San Francisco Giants' Wilmer Flores, right, is called out swinging in front of Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith for the final out of the ninth inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe
Kapler said he won't dwell on the controversial check-swing call that
went against first baseman Wilmer Flores for the final out of the
team's season in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday
night.
"That's going to be the thing that
is talked about quite a bit, and I understand why," Kapler told
reporters after Game 5 of the National League Division Series. "I
just don't know how much sense it makes to, for us, on our side, to
pick that apart. I don't know how much, how helpful it's going to
be."
He added: "There's no reason to be
angry; it's just a disappointing way to end it. But there are other
reasons we lost that game."
Slow-motion replays appeared to show
Flores was able to check his swing and the Max Scherzer pitch should
have been called a ball.
Gabe Morales, the first base umpire who
made the game-ending call, spoke with a pool reporter about the
critical call.
"Check-swings are one of the
hardest calls we have. I don't have the benefit of multiple camera
angles when I'm watching it live,” he said. “When it happened
live I thought he went, so that's why I called it a swing."
Morales confirmed he watched a replay
following the game, but neither he nor crew chief Ted Barrett
provided a definitive statement about whether the wrong call was
made.
Check-swing calls are not reviewable
under MLB rules.
Kapler is right to point out that the singular call didn't cause the loss. The Giants generated
just six hits off the six pitchers who took the mound for the Dodgers,
and San Francisco couldn't capitalize when it did have an offensive
opportunity, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
As well, four Giants players who
played an important role during the regular season posted an OPS
under .500 in the NLDS: Darin Ruf (.455), Evan Longoria (.412),
LaMonte Wade Jr. (.282) and Flores (.237).
Despite the missed opportunities
throughout the series, though, losing on a check-swing call is a sour
way to end a memorable season for the NL West club.
San Francisco entered the year with
minimal outside expectations—ZiPS projected the team for just 75
wins—but it emerged to post the best record in MLB at
107-55.
The fact that the Giants had to face the
106-win Dodgers in the Division Series based on the league's playoff
format is another factor that may get looked at during the offseason.
It was a successful year for the
club, but it may take a while for the frustration
from its playoff elimination to wear off, especially given the way
Game 5 ended.
Cody Bellinger Clutch RBI Gives Dodgers NLDS Win vs. Giants; Will Face Braves in NLCS
Oct 15, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after hitting an RBI-single against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Cody Bellinger's ninth-inning RBI single propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the host San Francisco Giants in the fifth and final game of the National League Division Series on Thursday from Oracle Park.
On the mound, Giants starter Logan Webb dominated with seven innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
For L.A., Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' gamble to go with an opener worked as Corey Knebel and Brusdar Graterol each pitched one shutout inning before giving way to starter Julio Urias, who did enough (4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K) to keep L.A. around.
The game came down to the ninth inning with both teams tied at one. Giants reliever Camilo Doval allowed two runners on base due to a Justin Turner hit-by-pitch and a Will Smith single. That brought up Bellinger, whose single proved to be the difference.
L.A. then had runners on the corners, but a Chris Taylor popout bunt and a Matt Beaty groundout ended the threat.
San Francisco then had to get the job done against starting pitcher Max Scherzer, who was looking for his first-ever save in a newfound closer role.
Kris Bryant got on with one out after Turner couldn't handle a groundball at third, bringing up "Late Night" LaMonte Wade, who hit .565 in the ninth inning during the regular season, per Baseball-Reference.
However, Scherzer caught Wade looking for out No. 2. That brought out Wilmer Flores for a chance to be the hero.
Scherzer got ahead 0-2. His third pitch appeared to end in a check-swing that did not cross the plate, but first-base umpire Gabe Morales called him out:
The defending World Series champion Dodgers will now make their fifth NL Championship Series appearance in six years. It'll be a 2020 NLCS rematch with the Atlanta Braves, who fell to L.A. in seven hard-fought games last year.
The Giants' season is over after a phenomenal year that included a franchise-record 107 regular-season wins.
Notable Performances
Dodgers RF Mookie Betts: 4-for-4, R
Dodgers CF Cody Bellinger: 1-for-4, GW RBI
GIants SP Logan Webb: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Giants LF Darin Ruf: 1-for-4, HR
Betts Sets the Table, Bellinger Finishes the Job
Betts was the only Dodger batter consistently able to solve Webb's sorcery on Thursday. All three of his singles against the Giants ace were line drives to left field.
The first two led to nothing as the Dodgers were unable to get Betts across home plate. The third one did after Betts stole second base and Seager drove him in with a double to give L.A. a 1-0 edge in the sixth:
Betts even managed a fourth hit thanks to an eighth-inning single off Trevor Rogers, although he was stranded on base once again. Still, he made some history along the way:
Mookie Betts is 4-for-4. First Dodger with a four-hit game this postseason, 13th Dodger ever with four hits in a playoff game (five have come in the last two postseasons).
Betts entered Game 5 hitting 9-of-20 (.450) in elimination games since joining the Dodgers before the 2020 season, per ESPN Stats & Info. That has now ballooned to 13-of-24 (.542), showcasing his remarkably clutch nature when the pressure is on.
Despite Betts' best effort, the Dodgers only had one run through eight innings.
Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP who was one of the game's best players before inexplicably hitting just .165 this season, eventually came to the dish with runners on first and second.
The postseason has been a far different story than the regular season, as Bellinger has showcased his immense ceiling and true talents. He entered Thursday hitting .308 (.400 OBP) in the playoffs alongside three runs and a pair of RBI.
Like every other Dodger not named Betts or Seager, Bellinger entered the ninth inning hitless on the night though.
He didn't end in that way after slicing a single through the shift to score Justin Turner and give his team a 2-1 lead:
It was a great piece of hitting for Bellinger, whose return to his older form makes the Dodgers an even greater favorite entering the championship series round.
Max Scherzer then shut the door in the ninth, and now L.A.'s quest for back-to-back World Series continues.
Logan Webb: Superstar
This was undoubtedly a devastating loss for the Giants, who ended their season on a bad call and a brutal loss to an arch rival.
However, Webb's phenomenal performance can't be forgotten.
Webb entered his third MLB season with a 5.36 ERA, 1.52 WHIP in 21 games (19 starts) over the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
It would have been difficult for pretty much everyone to envision Webb developing into a bona fide staff ace, let alone one capable of shutting down the dominant Dodgers defense twice in the playoffs.
And yet that's what happened.
The 2021 season was a completely different story for the 24-year-old Webb, who went 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 158 strikeouts in 148.1 innings.
He was given the ball to start and end this series and answered the bell each time.
On Thursday, Dodger batters not named Betts went 1-for-21 with one walk and seven strikeouts versus Webb. Seventeen of Webb's outs were courtesy of strikeouts, groundouts or infield lineouts.
No Dodgers outside Betts got a hit until the sixth inning. Webb also faced the nine-batter minimum through three innings to get his team going.
The most impressive part of Webb's night aside from his ability to ward off the pressure of a massive game and dominate with ease was his mastery of his entire arsenal. He fooled Dodger batters with his variety of pitches to limit the damage through seven frames.
He got Steven Souza Jr. swinging on a slider outside the zone.
He notably caught Gavin Lux looking twice, one after painting the black on the upper-right hand corner and the zone and the other thanks to a filthy sinker:
The fastball was working, too, as Webb showcased his excellent movement and location. This pitch up and in led to Taylor's swing-and-miss to end the fifth:
Webb punched out 10 Dodger batters in 7.2 shoutout frames in Game 1 en route to a 4-0 victory. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post put his series performance in proper perspective:
Logan Webb has thrown 14 2/3 innings against the defending World Series champs and allowed one run. ONE.
New York Mets starting pitcher Marcus Stroman provided lofty public praise for Webb, who doesn't need to throw gas to be dominant:
Logan Webb. Over the next five years, I predict him to be a top 5/top 10 pitcher in the game. His arsenal of pitches will be able to get outs forever. Movement and pitchability are more important than velocity…especially over the course of an entire career. Bet heavy on Webb!
This game didn't end in victory for Webb and the Giants, but San Francisco has a true ace who can lead them back to October glory throughout the upcoming decade.
What's Next?
The Braves will host the Dodgers for Game 1 of the best-of-seven NL Championship Series on Saturday at 8:07 p.m. ET.
The Houston Astros will welcome the Boston Red Sox into town to begin the American League Championship Series on Friday at 8:07 p.m. ET.
The winners will face off in the World Series beginning Tuesday, October 26.
