NL West

San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano was reportedly arrested in Georgia on Saturday and charged with felony marijuana possession after police said they found 79 grams of marijuana in his vehicle, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. 

Per that report, "Georgia law states possession of more than one ounce (28.35 grams) of marijuana is a felony and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. (In California, possession of 79 grams would be considered a misdemeanor and be punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine.)"

The police report also stated that Campusano was arrested for and charged with the "purchase/possession/manufacture/distribution/sale/controlled (substance)."

The 22-year-old catcher appeared in just one game for the Padres this season, hitting a home run and scoring two runs in that contest. He also appeared in one postseason game for the team. In three seasons at the minor league level, he hit .304 with 22 homers, 146 RBI and 97 runs. 

Per MLB.com, Campusano is the team's No. 4 prospect behind pitcher MacKenzie Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and pitcher Luis Patino. The 2017 second-round pick is also considered the No. 46 prospect overall in baseball. 

Per the MLB.com scouting report, "scouts like his chances of becoming at least an above-average hitter, especially after he demonstrated a tighter, more advanced approach in 2019," though it added that his "defense lags behind his bat, but he has the requisite athleticism and tools to stick behind the plate."

"We were recently notified of the arrest of Luis Campusano in his hometown of Augusta, Ga. this past weekend," the team said in a statement. "We are gathering information and have been in contact with MLB and local authorities. As this is a pending legal matter, we will not have any further comment at this time."

Cody Bellinger hit the biggest home run of the season Sunday night to help send the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series, but he might have celebrated too hard on the way back to the dugout. 

As he explained to MLB Network after the game, he hurt his shoulder with his Bash Brothers-type celebration with teammate Kike Hernandez (1:30):

The Game 7 hero for the @Dodgers! @Cody_Bellinger talks about his game-winning HR and what happened to that shoulder. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/xQ7501E81P

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 19, 2020

"I'm good," Bellinger explained. "I hit Kike's shoulder a little too hard, and my shoulder popped out, so I had to go back in the training room. They popped it back in, and I was ready to play some defense. It kinda hurt."

The moment in question came in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the NLCS, with the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves tied 3-3. Bellinger hit a no-doubter home run, putting Los Angeles ahead for good in the 4-3 win.

After rounding the bases, he had an aggressive jump with Hernandez (:33):

CODY BELLINGER HITS A MOONSHOT. https://t.co/kcNGK3szHe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 19, 2020

Though he appeared to be favoring the arm during the next inning, he remained in the game as Los Angeles clinched the NL pennant for the third time in four years.

For three straight games in the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers stared down elimination. Each time, they rose to the challenge.

On Sunday night in Game 7, they completed the series comeback with a taut 4-3 win over Atlanta—punctuated by a go-ahead Cody Bellinger homer in the seventh—and punched their ticket to the World Series.

It wasn't easy. Atlanta went up 2-0 in the series and then claimed a commanding 3-1 edge. The NL East champs had Los Angeles on the ropes. Atlanta led 2-0 going into the bottom of the third in Game 7 and carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

But the Dodgers showed why they owned the best record in baseball during the regular season and used their depth and enviable talent to outlast a worthy opponent.

Their task, however, isn't complete. This was always going to be a championship-or-nothing season for L.A.

Now, they'll get another crack at a title against the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays. Four more wins, and they'll hoist a Commissioner's Trophy for the first time since 1988.

Anything less will be an abject failure.

   

Notable Players of the Game

For Los Angeles:

• CF Cody Bellinger: 1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 RBI, 1 HR. After winning NL MVP honors in 2019, Cody Bellinger hit .239 with a .789 OPS during the 2020 regular season. All of that was forgotten, or at least pushed to the way-back burner, when Bellinger launched a mammoth home run in the seventh to give L.A. a lead it would never relinquish. Bellinger appeared to injure his right shoulder during the post-homer celebration, though he played the remainder of the game and caught the final out in center field.
• PH/DH/2B Enrique Hernandez: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 HR. With Los Angeles trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Enrique Hernandez stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and smacked his second home run of the postseason, igniting the Dodgers dugout and setting up Bellinger's go-ahead blast.
• LHP Julio Urias: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R. The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts made this an all-hands-on-deck game pitching-wise. After starter Dustin May threw one inning, L.A. used four more pitchers. The win, rightly, went to left-hander Julio Urias, who slammed the door with three scoreless, hitless innings. Urias is now 4-0 this postseason with a 0.56 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 16 innings.

   

For Atlanta:

• SS Dansby Swanson: 1-for-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR. Swanson smacked a solo home run in the second inning to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead and some early momentum. It was overshadowed by Hernandez's and Bellinger's fence-clearing heroics, but for a brief moment it looked like Swanson's dinger could be a key Game 7 turning point.
• 3B/LF Austin Riley: 1-for-4, 1 RBI. The same could be said for Riley's RBI single in the fourth that scored Ozzie Albies and put Atlanta up 3-2 after Dodgers catcher Will Smith had tied the game in the third with a two-RBI single.
• RHP Ian Anderson: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K. After throwing 15.2 shutout innings through his first three postseason starts, rookie Ian Anderson lasted just three innings before handing the ball to the Atlanta bullpen. He's surely disappointed with the final result, but the 22-year-old put together a stellar playoff stat line with a 0.96 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 18.2 frames.

   

Why it Won't Mean a Thing for the Dodgers if They Don't Get a Ring

Climbing out of a 3-1 series hole is impressive, especially against a team as dangerous and confident as Atlanta. But let's get real. Los Angeles needs to win it all, or its 2020 season will land with a resounding thud.

The Dodgers have claimed eight straight NL West titles. They've won two pennants in that span. This will be their third trip to the World Series in four years.

In 2017, they lost a heartbreaking seven-game Fall Classic to the Houston Astros. In 2018, they lost in five games to the Boston Red Sox. Both teams were subsequently punished by MLB for sign-stealing shenanigans in their championship seasons.

The Dodgers can cry foul with good cause, but the fact remains: Houston and Boston got the trophies, and L.A. didn't.

Now, after falling in the division series round to the eventual champion Washington Nationals in 2019, the Dodgers get another crack at a ring. 

They're equipped for the task. Their pitching staff led the NL in ERA in the regular season, and their offense paced baseball in runs scored. They added superstar Mookie Betts to an already-potent lineup. 

They have few, if any, weaknesses on paper. Now, they have to prove it on the field against the AL champs.

They'll face a Rays team that posted the best record in the American League. Tampa Bay isn't loaded with household names. But in dispatching the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Astros through the first three rounds, they've continued their winning formula of pitching and defense and lead all postseason clubs with 25 home runs.

It will be an extreme David vs. Goliath matchup from a monetary standpoint. The Dodgers boasted the game's second-highest payroll this season, while the Rays checked in at No. 28.

But in terms of talent, Tampa Bay can hang with Los Angeles. It should be a hard-fought series.

The Dodgers can spend Sunday night celebrating their eke-it-out win over Atlanta. But the next test begins Tuesday back at Globe Life Field, and the boys in blue had better be ready.

"It's kind of World Series-or-bust every year," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters at the outset of the playoffs.

It could also be title-or-bust for Roberts himself if he wants to keep his job. His questionable decision-making with ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 4 of the NLCS may be temporarily forgotten after Game 7's triumph. But if his team again falls short, expect calls for Roberts' ouster to grow loud this winter.

Speaking of Kershaw, he'll turn 33 in March. His days as baseball's most dominant pitcher are already in the rearview. The three-time Cy Young Award winner will only get so many opportunities to win a title and bury his October demons once and for all.

The Dodgers have the financial resources and enough young talent on the roster and in the minor league pipeline to keep contending annually for the foreseeable future.

But simply contending isn't going to cut it. They need to get it done this time—no excuses. 

If not, everything they did in the regular season and playoffs—including the comeback against Atlanta—won't mean a thing.

   

All statistics current as of Sunday and courtesy of MLB.com.

The Atlanta Braves last made the World Series in 1999, when their roster included National League MVP Chipper Jones and a trio of Hall of Fame starting pitchers in Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.

The 2020 Braves are one win away from breaking their 21-year National League pennant drought after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series on Thursday. Atlanta leads the best-of-seven matchup three games to one.

Game 5 will take place on Friday at 9:08 p.m. ET at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. FS1 will be the television home, and fans can live-stream the game through Fox Sports Go.

A limited amount of fans are allowed in the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets can be purchased through MLB.com.

Los Angeles will start right-hander Dustin May against a to-be-determined Atlanta pitcher.

As for whom that might be, Grant McAuley of Braves Radio Network provided a take upon quoting manager Brian Snitker's postgame remarks.

So, expect that announcement on Friday. But this could be, for all intents and purposes, a bullpen game. Kyle Wright will be available. Huascar Ynoa and Grant Dayton were the only relievers Brian Snitker said would be unavailable.

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) October 16, 2020

It will not be Game 1 starter Max Fried, who is in line to start Game 6 if necessary, per Snitker.

Regardless of how the Braves piece together nine innings, the onus is on the Dodger bats to string together a consistent performance. They've been hit or miss all playoffs: 27 of their 55 runs have come in two of their nine games.

They've scored five or fewer runs in five games and have only really made their mark in bunches with big innings here and there, including an 11-spot in the first inning of Game 3 of the NLCS.

In between those frames, the bats have gone ice cold, and that has to change Friday unless May and the rest of the Dodger staff can shut down the Braves attack.

That's easier said than done. The trio of Ronald Acuna Jr., presumptive NL MVP Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna are tough outs in the top third of the batting order. They combined for eight hits, five runs, six RBI and a pair of Ozuna home runs on Thursday alone.

The good news is that May has largely been stellar this year, going 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 56 innings. Chances are he'll limit the damage enough to keep L.A. in the game at worst as the Dodgers look to avoid elimination.

Ultimately, look for the Dodgers' bats to prevail in Game 5.

Los Angeles sported MLB's best offense during the regular season, leading MLB in runs, home runs and slugging percentage and second in on-base plus slugging percentage. It's hard to keep the team at bay, and the Braves bullpen has a tall task ahead of them if Snitker opts to go that route for nine frames.

The bet is on 2018 American League MVP and leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, who is hitting .143 in the NLCS, to break out of his slump and lead the Dodgers to a 7-4 win.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw allowed four earned runs in five-plus innings in a 10-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday.

Kershaw was originally scheduled to pitch Game 2 but was scratched due to back spasms. The left-hander did not place blame on his back ailment for his Game 4 performance in a postgame talk with reporters: 

Clayton Kershaw said his back “felt fine tonight.” The back issues began during his bullpen session over the weekend.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 16, 2020

Kershaw largely cruised through the first five innings but allowed the first three baserunners to get on in the sixth before getting the hook. All three eventually scored, and Atlanta ended up scoring six in the sixth for a 7-1 edge en route to the 10-2 win.

The southpaw dominated in his first playoff start, throwing eight shutout innings and striking out 13 while allowing three hits and no runs in a NL Wild Card Series win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

His second start against the San Diego Padres didn't go as well, but he still posted a quality outing with six innings of three-run ball while striking out six in another win.

Thursday was a different story, although the Dodgers' offense went cold in the defeat. L.A. had just one hit (and one run) off an Edwin Rios solo home run through the first six innings.

The Dodgers must now win three straight games against the Braves to keep their postseason alive, as Atlanta now lead the best-of-seven series three games to one.

Game 5 of the NLCS will take place Friday at 9:08 p.m. ET in Arlington, Texas' Globe Life Field.

In Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered a haymaker to Atlanta with an 11-run first inning. The result was a 15-3 drubbing that trimmed Atlanta's series lead to 2-1 and placed the momentum squarely on L.A.'s side.

In Game 4 on Thursday, with the Texas winds whipping through Globe Life Field, Atlanta counterpunched in a big way.

The NL East champs sent 22-year-old Bryse Wilson to the hill to face Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. In his storied career, Kershaw has won nearly half as many Cy Young Awards (three) as Wilson had made big league starts (seven).

Yet Wilson outdueled Kershaw and gave the battered Atlanta pitching staff the boost it badly needed. And his offense backed him up with a six-run sixth inning en route to a 10-2 statement win and a commanding 3-1 series edge.

It's tempting to pin this one on Kershaw, who has wilted before under the bright October lights. But this loss falls on manager Dave Roberts, who stuck with his left-hander too long, and a Dodgers offense that simply didn't do enough.

   

Notable Players of the Game

For Atlanta:

SP Bryse Wilson: 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Wison made six appearances and two starts in the regular season and hadn't appeared in a game since Sept. 27. Atlanta would probably have been happy with a few serviceable innings after Wednesday's debacle. Instead, he delivered an outstanding outing opposite one of the best pitchers of all time.

DH Marcell Ozuna: 4-for-5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR. Atlanta tallied 14 hits with Ozuna leading the way. The regular-season NL home run and RBI leader cleared the fence twice and drove in four, ensuring that Atlanta did more than enough scoring to back up Wilson and its resurgent pitching staff.

   

For Los Angeles:

SP Clayton Kershaw: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO. This is a game Kershaw will want to forget. Returning from back spasms, he took the loss and couldn't escape the sixth. But this defeat shouldn't be pinned primarily on him, as we'll delve into shortly.

RF Mookie Betts: 0-for-4, 1 SO. Betts wasn't the only Dodgers hitter who failed to deliver Thursday, but we'll use Los Angeles' leader and MVP candidate as an ignoble example of the club's overall inability to chase Wilson early and build on Wednesday's blowout win.

   

Where the NLCS Stands

-Atlanta leads 3-1, with the series set to continue Friday from Globe Life Field at 9:08 p.m. ET.

-The Dodgers will turn to hard-throwing rookie Dustin May to keep their season alive. Atlanta hasn't confirmed who will start Game 5, but manager Brian Snitker said it won't be ace Max Fried, who started Game 1 and would be going on short rest. Instead, the club may opt to go with an opener and hope the bullpen can finish the job.

-Games 6 and 7, if necessary, would be played Saturday and Sunday.

   

Why This was Less About Kershaw and More about Roberts and the Dodgers Offense

Kershaw's periodic playoff hiccups have been well-documented. He's enjoyed some notable high moments, too, but he carried a 4.23 postseason ERA into Thursday's start compared to a career regular-season mark of 2.43.

Kershaw was scratched from a scheduled Game 3 start because of back spasms and carried questions about his health and durability out to the mound Thursday.

He held Atlanta to one run on a Marcell Ozuna homer through five frames before things unraveled in the sixth. Yet Kershaw wasn't as bad as his final line suggested.

A couple of the hits he allowed in the sixth were grounders that snuck through the infield, and the team's relievers, including Brusdar Graterol, couldn't stop the bleeding.

More than anything, though, Roberts was the one who should have pulled Kershaw earlier, before the inning got out of hand. 

Yes, Kershaw is his ace. But coming off an injury issue and facing a potent lineup, he'd given the Dodgers all he could.

Instead of making the tough but correct move, Roberts left Kershaw out to dangle. It was the latest in a string of questionable pitching-change decisions Los Angeles' skipper has made in the team's past three October runs, dating back to 2017.

Expect calls for Roberts' ouster to grow louder after Thursday, especially if the Dodgers don't come back in the NLCS and once again fall short of their first title since 1988. You can only go so many seasons featuring one of the game's gaudiest payrolls and most stacked rosters with zero rings to show for it and keep your job.

The other culprits were the Dodgers hitters, who mustered just one run on a solo homer by Edwin Rios against Wilson and then squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the top of the seventh that could have shifted the momentum.

Betts and Corey Seager, L.A.'s table-setters and offensive cornerstones all season, went a combined 0-for-8. Betts is now just 2-for-14 in the series.

We know the Dodgers can rake. They led baseball in runs and home runs during the regular season. In the biggest game of the year so far, though, they mostly came up empty.

Give credit to Wilson, who rose to the occasion and pitched the game of his life for an Atlanta team that desperately needed a quality start. And tip your cap to Ozuna, Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman and the rest of the team's explosive lineup.

Just don't lay this one at Kershaw's feet. His manager and his offense let him down.

And now, after an ugly loss on a blustery night in Arlington, the Dodgers are one defeat shy of getting blown off the postseason stage.

   

All statistics current as of Thursday and courtesy of MLB.com.

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will start Game 4 of the National League Championship Series after being scratched in Game 2 with back spasms, according to manager Dave Roberts.

The manager was optimistic about Kershaw's availability heading into Wednesday and confirmed the lefty will take the mound shortly after the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 15-3 in Game 3.

"If it progresses the way it has, it's a likely possibility," Roberts told reporters before the game.

The Dodgers fell 8-7 in Game 2 as the Atlanta Braves took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. That's now cut in half as a surging Los Angeles offense looks to even the NLCS.

It was the second time this year Kershaw's back has caused him to miss a start after a similar incident on Opening Day.

It seems the Dodgers at least had a bit of an idea their rotation leader wouldn't be able to go ahead of Game 2. Roberts said the lefty initially felt discomfort during a normal bullpen session before his scheduled start, allowing them to prep for the possibility of pushing him back a few days.

"Each day, Clayton got a little bit better," Roberts said Tuesday. "Our goal was to have him start tonight, but it just never got to the point where we felt comfortable."

Rookie Tony Gonsolin got the ball in Game 2 in place of Kershaw, going 4.1 innings with three hits, five earned runs, three walks and seven strikeouts in an 8-7 loss.

Kershaw had a vintage season, making 10 starts with a 2.16 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 7.8 strikeout/walk ratio in 58.1 innings.

In two starts during the playoffs he's been equally impressive with a 1.93 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 14 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been scratched from Game 2 of the National Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves with back spasms, the team announced Tuesday.

Right-hander Tony Gonsolin will start in place of Kershaw.

It's not clear when Kershaw will be healthy enough to pitch next, though manager Dave Roberts has already ruled out the possibility that he starts Game 3 on Wednesday. However, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Dodgers are "optimistic" Kershaw will be healthy enough to start Game 4.

"The likelihood is very good," Roberts said Tuesday in regards to the possibility that Kershaw pitches at some point in the NLCS.

Julio Urias will start Game 3 on Wednesday. The 24-year-old southpaw has made two appearances this postseason, both out of the bullpen. He has allowed one unearned run on four hits while striking out 11 in eight innings.

Kershaw's season got off to a turbulent start when the ace was scratched on Opening Day in July with a back injury. He finally made his debut Aug. 2, tossing 5.2 innings with six strikeouts, three hits and no runs in a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kershaw compiled a 2.16 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 62 strikeouts in 58.1 innings in 10 regular-season starts. More notably, he had performed well to this point in the postseason, going 2-0 while allowing just three runs in 14 innings and striking out 19 in two starts through the first two rounds.

Losing Kershaw, especially with the way he has been pitching this October, is a major blow to a Dodgers squad that needs a win Tuesday. Atlanta took the first game of the series, 5-1, on Monday.

Gonsolin went 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA in nine appearances this season, including eight starts. He struck out 46 batters in 46.2 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith broke out of his mini-slump in historic fashion during Thursday's 12-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

Smith went 5-for-6 with three RBI and one run while helping his side finish the National League Division Series sweep. He was 0-for-11 through the Dodgers' first four playoff games this year but tormented Padres pitching in the closeout game.

ESPN's Jeff Passan noted Smith became the first catcher in Major League Baseball history to post a five-hit game in the playoffs. What's more, he's only the ninth one to do so in history.

Will Smith cranks out nothing but hits.

That's 5 today, a #postseason record for the @Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/iKOWKtrKCA

— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2020

According to MLB Stats, Albert Pujols (2011) was the last player to tally five or more hits and three or more RBI in a playoff game.

Smith is just 25 years old and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. He appeared in 37 regular-season games in 2020 and slashed .289/.401/.579 with eight home runs and 25 RBI.

He and the Dodgers will face the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. Atlanta swept the Miami Marlins and also brings a powerful offense featuring Ronald Acuna Jr., Freddie Freeman and others, so Smith and the rest of Los Angeles' hitters will likely be asked to counter with some pop of their own.

The catcher had plenty of it Thursday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have advanced to the next postseason round after defeating the San Diego Padres 12-3 in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Thursday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The Dodgers used a five-run third inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 6-2 edge. They tacked on one run each in the fourth and fifth before dropping four runs in the ninth.

L.A. smacked 14 hits, with catcher Will Smith leading the team with five, a franchise playoff record.

https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1314432560911572992

ESPN's Jeff Passan explained the historical significance behind his night:

The Dodgers' Will Smith is the first catcher in baseball history with a five-hit game in the postseason and only the ninth player ever to reach five hits in a playoff game.

He is an absolute star. Scary that the Dodgers keep drafting and developing this well.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 9, 2020

The Padres held a 2-1 lead in the second with the bases loaded, two out and Fernando Tatis Jr. at the dish, but Dodger southpaw Julio Urias struck him out to end the rally.

San Diego got one back in the seventh, but the Padres never mounted a serious threat to the Dodgers' lead as L.A. swept the Padres in the best-of-five series.

The Dodgers will now face the Atlanta Braves in the NL Championship Series in Arlington.

           

Notable Performances

Dodgers RP Julio Urias (Win): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Dodgers OF Mookie Betts: 1-for-3, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2B

Dodgers C Will Smith: 5-for-6, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B

Padres SP Adrian Morejon (Loss): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Padres CF Trent Grisham: 1-for-4, RBI, BB

Padres SS Fernando Tatis Jr.: 1-for-3, BB, 2B

   

Dodgers Dink and Dunk Their Way to NLCS With Big 3rd Inning

The Dodgers led Major League Baseball with 118 home runs this season. For context, that's nearly two homers per game in a year with a shortened 60-game schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That 1.97-homers-per-game mark would give them 319 dingers over a typical 162-game stretch, which would have set a new MLB single-season record.

L.A. used the long ball to its benefit in the regular season, but the small ball has pushed the team through to the NLCS. The Dodgers have hit just two home runs in five games: Shortstop Corey Seager launched a solo homer in the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, and center fielder Cody Bellinger hit one out in Game 2 of the NLDS.

Otherwise, timely hitting and great pitching have gotten the Dodgers this far, and that's exactly what happened Thursday.

After Urias got the Dodgers out of a second-inning jam, L.A. went to work in the third.

The Dodgers sent all nine batters to the plate, with six reaching base off four singles and two walks. 

L.A. took a 3-2 lead off RBI singles from Seager and third baseman Justin Turner, who is now the Dodgers' franchise leader for postseason hits with 64, bypassing Hall of Famer Steve Garvey.

Go ahead, JT!

With his 64th playoff hit, @redturn2 passes Steve Garvey for the most postseason hits in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/LmAqTDP5vI

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 9, 2020

Afterward, Padres reliever Craig Stammen forced a Max Muncy groundout and struck out Smith.

At that point, San Diego was one out away from limiting the third-inning damage to two runs, but L.A. kickstarted another rally. An AJ Pollock RBI single and a Joc Pederson two-RBI single put L.A. ahead 6-2, and that was all the Dodgers needed to move onto the NLCS.

Gimme five. pic.twitter.com/Y2QMFHae88

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 9, 2020

L.A.'s offensive versatility is a scary sight for the rest of the league, especially when coupled with a deep pitching staff that has allowed just 2.2 runs per game in the playoffs. The Dodgers don't need to rely on the long ball to win, nor are they dependent on one or two pitchers to carry them to a series victory.

Rather, everyone contributes to the point that it's hard to envision any team standing much of a chance against them in 2020.

           

Padres' Bats Go Cold at Inopportune Time Thanks to Urias

The momentum pendulum swung in the Padres' favor during the bottom of the second inning before moving back to the Dodgers' side for good in the third.

San Diego tied the game at one in the bottom of the second after Jake Cronenworth's bases-loaded walk, bringing first baseman Eric Hosmer to the dish with one out.

Catcher Jason Castro grounded into a forceout, but Trent Grisham's RBI infield single put San Diego up 2-1 with Fernando Tatis Jr. headed to the plate.

Now Trenting. pic.twitter.com/kkMEi2CkFQ

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 9, 2020

Tatis, one of the game's most electric stars, has a penchant for huge hits, like when he smacked two home runs in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Another one here would have broken the game open in San Diego's favor.

However, Julio Urias came in to relieve Adam Kolarek, and the left-hander punched out Tatis with an 83 mph curveball.

¡JULIOOOOOO! 🔥#LAJuntos | #Postemporada pic.twitter.com/Cf3uHUl0l5

— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) October 9, 2020

Urias was simply phenomenal, eating up innings and bringing L.A. into the seventh. Ex-MLB player and current Dodgers Sportsnet analyst Jerry Hairston Jr. gave him credit:

Urias Inherited a mess in 2nd inning, Padres had all the Momentum & he absolutely slammed the door. Love this kids make up! 🔥🔥🔥 #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/gTrg5oqS2e

— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) October 9, 2020

The lefty also set a Dodgers record with his work, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

Julio Urías’ 6 strikeouts so far in relief tonight are the most in a postseason relief appearance in Dodgers history

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 9, 2020

Urias' night symbolized his postseason thus far, with Dodger Insider tweeting his stats out:

Urías tonight: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R (unearned), 6 K, 1 BB

His playoffs so far: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 11 K, 1 BB

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) October 9, 2020

With its new lease on life, Los Angeles then dropped five third-inning runs to take a 6-2 edge. That effort provided more than enough cushion for Urias, who shut the Padres down through the sixth inning before handing the game over to the rest of the bullpen in the seventh to close it out.

The Padres were ultimately outmatched by a deeper Dodger team that is arguably as good or better than San Diego in every facet of the game, which could be said for most franchises when compared to L.A. Still, they had their chances throughout the series to carve out a win but ultimately could not deliver.

That being said, San Diego should be a dominant force well into the 2020s behind Tatis, Manny Machado, standout pitching prospect Mackenzie Gore and many others who could turn the Padres into a dynasty.

            

What's Next?

The Dodgers will play Atlanta in the NLCS beginning Monday. 

The Braves swept the Miami Marlins in the NLDS, which they capped with a 7-0 win in Game 3 on Thursday.

The best-of-seven series will run every day until its conclusion, with Game 7 (if necessary) occurring on Sunday, Oct. 18. FOX and FS1 will televise the series.