Month: October 2021

Oct 16-24: Braves have home field advantage in this 7-game series.

Game 1- Another nail biter and grinder in which the Dodgers outhit the braves 10-6 but lost in a walkoff, 3-2. Dodgers had lots of chances to score, but only managed to plate 1 run on 9 hits, in addition to Will Smith’s solo homer. Mookie, coming off a 4-hit game, went 0-4, including hitting into a DP. Trea got 2 hits, and Seager drove him in with a double — for the Dodgers only other run. We all pulled for Pujols, in the Dodgers’ RH dominated lineup, but not to be. With Braves’ starter Fried going 6, and a few more lefties, the Braves kept Belli and Lux on the bench. But in the top of the 9th, tied at 2, Belli got to PH with CT3 on 1B, and he came through with a single. But CT3 did the unthinkable: he tried to take 3B with 2 outs (no-no), and worse, was indecisive so got caught in a run-down. End of inning, end of game, as Braves scored walkoff winner in bottom of the 9th.

Pitching: Dodgers again went with the opener being Knebel. But he surrendered 1 run via a leadoff hit, steal, move by out, then a WP (or passed ball) for a critical run. Bickford in the 2nd and 3rd was good. “Starter” Gonsolin came in the middle of the 3rd. The “Cat” gave up a solo homer to slugger Riley to match Smith’s in the top of the 5th inning, to tie the game at 2. Vesia for the 6th, Kelly the 7th and Jansen for the 8th tossed shutouts. Treinen for the 9th got unlucky on a leadoff blooper hit, but like the 1st, speedy runner easily stole 2B. Slugger Riley came up, after retiring dangerous Freeman for 4th time on a K, and he slugged a thigh high slider into the LF corner for the walkoff.

Game 2- Great start: Seager blasts a 2-run homer just over the RF fence for a quick 2-0 lead. Dodgers get 2 on with 1 out in the 3rd on a hit by Smith, but G Lux pops foul and CT3 K. We can’t keep leaving RISP! Now 2-2 in the 5th, there is some urgency to score. Mookie gets a leadoff walk, but Seager shatters his bat on a popup. Betts steals 2B as Trea K on a full count. Smith IBB. G Lux in the key 5 hole, flies to left. 2 more runners left. Top of 6th, CT3 leads off with a walk (again!), steals 2B and tags on fly by Belli to 3B, But AJ K’s! Beaty to PH, but replaced by Pujols when they bring in a lefty. Albert K’s on a steady diet of curves. yet another RISP left. OK, Dodgers, time to score (7th). Betts leads off with a 10 pitch battle for a walk. Mook steals 2B as Seager K’s. Then Trea K’s on a slider in the dirt. So here comes JT to PH for Lux, so Braves replace LHP with a RHP, who hits JT to load the bases (with no balls hit). CT3 lobs a soft liner to CF that just falls in as CF overruns the ball for a double to score 2 — finally a breakthrough! IBB to Belli to get to AJ with bases re-loaded. AJ K’s (ugh) and leaves them loaded. But now 4-2 in 7th. In 8th, Sousa leads off in pitcher’s spot with a groundout. Mookie grounds to 3B, and Seager long fly out to left. Now tied at 4 in the 9th. Trea leads off with a long fly to deep LF — back goes the fielder and makes the catch up against the wall (drat!). Now Will Smith to face Will Smith! But a K on 5 straight sliders. Barnes PH for Urias, K (ugh). Dodgers go 1-10 RISP, and 10 LOB, with only 4 hits!

Pitching: Scherzer sharp through 3, including 2 K’s of Freddy (for 6 straight by him). But then Max makes a mistake on Joc (Tober) who makes the Dodgers pay big with a 454 ft blast to tie the score at 2 (same as game 1). Roberts pulls Max with 1 out in the 5th after a hit, and brings in Vesia, who gives up a hit to Rosario. Up comes scary Freddy to fan on a change for 2 outs, 2 on. Vesia then K’s Albies! Kelly for the 6th, K’s Riley, gets Joc on a comebacker, Duvall on a fly. Treinen surprise for the 7th, walks leadoff man, buts grounder for a DP! Then a race to the bag on a grounder to Belli at 1B who feeds Blake just in time to end the 7th. Surprise for the 8th: Urias gives up a leadoff hit to Rosario (again), but gets Freddy to fly out to left, with Rosario chancing advancing to 2B. Another hit to RF, Sousa charges and throws a 2-hopper to home to just miss nailing the runner. Now 4-3, with runner at 1B. Oh no Riley up, who lashes another ball to deep CF for a double, scoring the tying run when Seager’s relay skips past Smith (else would have had him out). Go ahead run at 2B with only 1 out, and Joc up, who K’s. Whew! A K to end it tied at 4. Both runners scored on very close plays. Mystery 9th: who pitches? Graterol not Jansen!? Brus gives up a leadoff hit (ugh). Swanson bunts, Brus fields and throws off balance to 2B in the dirt saved by Seager (whew!). Slow grounder to 3B, out at 1B moves winning run to 2B with 2 out. Here comes (finally) Jansen, to save the day? 2nd game in a row with winning run at 2B in 9th. Jansen 1st pitch is a center cut cutter slapped up the middle where Seager was waiting but let the ball get under his glove (can’t happen!) — ballgame. Walkoff back to back. (Sickening.)

Game 3- Dreadful offense yet again, despite same old 1st inning 2-run homer by Seager. then yawn, nothing. Suddenly, Dodgers woke up in the 8th: Will Smith hit, AJ (in Lux’ spot) single up the middle for 2 on, 1 out. Belli swings and misses badly for strike 2 (oh no), then BAM! Belli connects on a high fastball for an unexpected but delightful 3-run homer to … tie the game! It looked like the Dodgers were dead and buried, then Belli ignites them. CT3 follows with a hit, steals 2B, moves to 3B on Beaty grounder. Mookie lines a double to the RF gap scoring CT3 for the 6-5 go ahead. What an 11th hour revival — historic actually for Dodgers in playoff history (down 3 runs). Not done yet, Seager gets IBB, Trea scratches an infield hit to load the bases. But Smith pops up. Dodgers take scary slim 6-5 lead into the 9th — after being dead and buried through 7.

Pitching: Beuhler to start. He fell apart in the 4th, giving up 4 runs, partly on shoddy defense, highlighted by Lux dropping a long fly against the RCF fence that he apparently lost in the sun. Walker was done, and replaced by a parade of Vesia, Bruihl, Kelly, Knebel, Phillips, Gonsolin, and finally Jansen for the save in the 9th. K’s killer Riley looking! Now Jocko with pearls, swings and misses on 95 cheese. On more batter to get: Duvall. Swing and miss! Jansen strikes out the side! We win 6-5! Holy moly.

Game 4- Dodgers go in order in 1st with 2 popups. 2nd G Lux belts a long fly to LCF that would have hit the very top of the wall but was flagged by Duvall. (Cruel irony for Lux.) Out in order in 2nd and again in 3rd — against an opener and starter Smyly. In 4th Seager is 1st baserunner with a walk. Trea another hard hit fly to left for an out. Smith called K. 4-0. Dodgers still no hits into 5th. (I thought they woke up yesterday.) After Lux K on a chase of ball 4, JT gets the 1st hit. Belli corners JT with a hit (and out goes Smyly). CT3 flies to Joc in RF, but too shallow to score the run. AJ PH for Urias. Belli steals 2B (indifferent). AJ punches a hit through the right side to score 2! Wake ’em up! Mookie still not hitting, grounds out to end it at 5-2. 6th, Seager popup, Trea chase K (bad), Smith groundout. Still 5-2 — just like yesterday. 7th inning stretch (take me out to that ballgame!). Pujols leadoff PH single in pitcher’s spot (ex Lux), PR by Buehler (thought it was his day off LOL). F**! JT grounds into DP and pulls up lame with hamie. Belli bombs one to the warning track (only) for the 3rd out — only 6 outs left. JT replaced at 3B by CT3, Betts to CF, in RF comes Sousa. Deja vu 8th has Dodgers again down 5-2. Different result? Not yet: Dodgers out in order in the 8th (and meekly). Now down 7 in 9th — forget about it. Murmur of protest as last out is a long fly by Smith caught on the warning track. Dodgers got only 4 hits again (sad), this time no home runs.

Pitching: Urias gets the start and is good until the 2nd, when he gives up an 0-2 homer to Rosario. (My rule is never throw a hittable pitch 0-2!) Then a back to back solo on a belt high to Duvall. 2-0. 3rd is a struggle too. Center cut fastball to Freddy leaves the yard for 3-0. Hanging curve roped to the RF wall for a triple for hot Rosario. IBB to Duvall to face Joc, who plops a Texas leaguer to CF that Lux did not get to, scoring Rosario for 4-0. Julio finally gets it together for 4th inning and ends it with a K of Freddy. But more trouble in the 5th as a 5th run scores on a sac fly. Urias gone after 5 (5R, 8H). Bickford tosses a nearly clean 6th, ending it on a Freddy groundout. Bickford gets 2 outs in 7th, but is replaced by stats happy Roberts with Bruihl to face LH Rosario, and K’s him on sweeping curves. For the 8th, we get — why Gonsolin? After 1 out, a liner to CF that Gavin Betts tried to shoestring but dropped (error). Fly out ends the 8th at 5-2. Swanson leads off with a hit and steals 2B (again! reviewed because he came off bag, but ruled safe.) Freddy slashes a ground rule double to score 6th run (demoralizing). Stick a fork in Gonsolin (never should have been brought in). Rosario comes up with 3/4 cycle (HR, 3B, 1B) — needs a 2B but hits another homer! Why Gopher Ball Gonsolin indeed!? Now 9-2 and game over. 1st playoff game we gave up more than 5 runs — sad. Our 3 best relievers sat on the bench.

Game 5- Last chance, last game at home for the Dodgers (if they don’t win it’s a shame). Yippee that we get a reversal of last game. Braves score 2 in 1st on another (3rd) homer by hot Freddy. But Dodgers come alive in 2nd, scoring 3 on a pair of homers by resurgent AJ and still hot CT3. Then they add a run in the 4th with same cast of hitters: AJ, Pujols and CT3 all get their 2nd hits for a run: 4-2. Even better, super hot CT3 smashes his 2nd home run for 2 runs and a 6-2 lead. In 5th, Belli gets his 2nd hit and steals 2B with 2 outs. But Roberts inexplicably lets Graterol hit for himself, a K — especially wrong since he lifted him anyway! (What is he saving his bench for?) In 6th, Trea finally on board with a 1-out single, but Seager K (he’s ice cold) and Smith pops up. Dodgers 5-8 hitters are 9-12 with 3 HR’s! 1-4 nothing (could use some help from the top). CT3 comes up as the announcers are talking about what IF he hits his 3rd HR (historic). Then he does it — 3rd bomb! Belli follows with his 3rd hit (13 hits for Dodgers). Beaty PH flies out. 7-2. Mookie leads off with his 1st hit in 3 games in the 8th, and steals 2B. Trea knocks him in with his 3rd hit! Seager follows with his 1st hit (Dodgers 16th!), Smith called K. But wait, there’s more: AJ crushes a 3-0 for his 2nd HR for 3 runs and an unbelievable 11-2 lead (and 17 hits!). CT3 gets another chance for his 4th HR, but fans (that’s OK buddy). Dodgers line is 11-17-0 — for a big statement win.

Pitching: Bullpen game. Joe Kelly the opener, but he gives up a 2-run homer to super hot Freddy to start the game! Then the parade of relievers is stingy: xxx in 2nd, xxx in 3rd, Graterol very efficient in his 2 innings (4-5th), ditto Treinen in 6-7th (a little early). Now 7-2 in 8th, in comes Knebel to rake at 98 and take care of business. Jansen in 9th closes, even with a 9 run lead. (Good thing Roberts saved him for this game LOL.)

POTG easily CT3 with 3 HR, 4 H, 6 RBI, 13 TB. Followed by AJ with 2 HR, 3 H, 4 RBI. 5 dingers in total for this pair.

Game 6- Another elim game. Oh good, Beaty gets a start at 1B so Belli can play CF (not Lux), but Matt only gets 1 AB as Braves bring in LHP so Pujols PH for him. Top of the order out 1-2-3, 4-5 then AJ swats a double but is left. Finally in the 4th, walk to Trea, single by Smith, single by Belli for a solo run, as AJ pops up. 5th sees back to back PH, as Pujols K and Burns (?) grounds out, Mookie K (sad). Getting late, but Dodgers go quietly in 6th on 2 K’s. Only 3 innings left to overcome the 4-1 deficit — come on bats! CT3 leads off with a double off the LF wall. Pitch around Belli for 2 on. Huge: AJ rakes a double to left, scoring CT3 — 4-2 with 2nd and 3rd, no outs. Our best chance to tie the game right now — just need to put the ball in play. Pujols K. PH Souza (really?) K. Mookie K. Put a fork in the Dodgers. Last 2 innings, starting at the top. Seager in the 2 hole K’s (4th straight). Trea bounces out yet again. Smith too. Last chance 9th will see bottom half of order (5-6-7). Good to see CT3 try to bunt for a hit (taking it seriously) — should have got it down, but instead K. Belli K too. Hit the ball! AJ does hit it hard to SS, but Dansby makes a good play to end the game, end the series, end the season (sad).

Pitching: Buehler throwing well enough, but with no command of his curve. Gives up a run in 2nd, but then falls hard in 4th with a PH double (belt high), followed by a 3-run homer to red hot Rosario (game over?) on a belt high fastball (after he fouled off several of those — bad pitch selection). Walker had eschewed his curve and change, and stuck with cutters and fastballs — his undoing. Replaced by Graterol in 5th and again in 6th, until LH Rosario comes up to face Vesia. Walks to Rosario, Freddy and Albies with 2 out. Vesia replaced by Treinen to stop bleeding (I mean walking). Blake masterful K (99) of Riley to end it. Knebel a good 7th. Jansen for the last dance 8th. Gives up a leadoff hit to a PH. Long fly out by Rosario, IBB to Freddy to corner them with 1 out. Albies K, but Dodgers let Freddy take 2B. (I say throw him out!) Kenley killer cutter carves up Riley for a K to end it at 4-2. That 3-run homer by Rosario off Beuhler was the difference.

See you all next year.

Oct 9-14: This is it. The old bitter rivalry revisited.

Game 1- Logan Webb vs. Buehler. Mookie starts off on the right foot by hitting sharply to the 4 hole for a hit. Seager is on by FC and works his way around to 3B, but is left when JT hits it hard up the middle but it catches Webb’s foot, gets ball knocked down, picked up and JT is thrown out. Then the next 6 go out in order, so 0 runs after 3. 4th Seager leads off with a swinging bunt single. Trea K. JT grounds into a spectacular DP 4-6-3. Smith leads off the 5th with a single, Beaty forces him, Belli long fly out, AJ K on a change — ugh. 6th Buehler leads off with a whiff (a bit of a surprise Walker hits). Seager finally gets a hit — a 2-out double. Trea another K. Dodgers look foolish, and are perishing. Will Smith ropes a 1-out double. Beaty and Belli swing and miss K’s on low sinkers — why swing at those? End of 7th with goose eggs. Dodgers’ bats sleeping as they come to bat in the 8th against crafty Webb. AJ and PH Lux hit dribblers for 2 outs. Mookie gets a pitch up and bangs a single to chase Webb. Last chance for Dodgers to avoid a shutout, let alone win, down 4-0. Heart of order coming up 3-4-5. Trea should bunt for a hit (why not?), but flies out meekly. JT check swing K. Smith pops up — shutout confirmed (sad!). Lose 4-0. Only 3 players got hits, 5 hits total (sad). We’ll likely see some lineup changes for game 2: with lefty going, Pujols at 1B and CT3 in CF (I predict).

Pitching: Buehler not a good start, as he gives up a walk and later a McCovey Cove 2-run blast by old nemesis Posey. Why do the Dodgers continue to pitch Posey high fastballs when he feasts on those (same as for JT, Muncy and Will Smith)? 2-0 after only 1. Buehler not yet in command of his best stuff but getting by. 2-0 after 3, then 4 (hit by Bryant is all). 5th another 1-hit inning. 6th side in order for 1st time. 7th Buehler feeds Bryant a center cut fastball and gone for 3rd run — a big run — to chase him. (Bryant already had 2 hits, so Walker should have been more careful.) In comes Bazooka Graterol, who rifles an easy 101 to K Webb and end the 7th at 3-0. Vesia in for the 8th, starts with a K. Flores skies a loud foul homer, then K’s (usually happens). Vesia serves up a curve into BC’s happy zone (he hit a long fly in 1st AB on a similar curve) for a nail-in-the-coffin homer for 4-0 (goodnight). Bickford gets Posey to ground out to end it. Giants out homer Dodgers 3-0.

Game 2- Lineup changes: Only CT3 for Beaty, but Belli stays (1B) — why? Mookie leadoff walk and steals 2B (yay). but stays there as Seager K’s (splitter), Turner and Turner fly out. Gausman spits out his gum before being checked by ump. Smith leadoff 109 laser snared off palm of glove by SS BCraw who holds onto it. CT3 ropes a double to the gap (right where he left off). Belli chases for a K. AJ gets IBB, to bring up Urias (a good hitter — tied for 1st in NL with 9 RBI). Wow! Julio gets a liner hit and drives in CT3 for 1-0. Mookie rockets another RBI hit for 2-0. Seager another splitter K. Dodgers seem to score runs for Urias (good thing). Dodgers get 2 more crooked numbers: 4 in a big 5th on a pair of big doubles by Belli (bases loaded) and AJ; and 3 more in the 7th on a homer by Smith, an RBI shift beat hit by PH Beaty, and another RBI single.

Pitching: 20-gamer Urias (Cy Young?) takes the hill. Julio has a Ruf start battling leadoff but gets a K call on a well located fastball. Next battling Briant: popup. Slater: 1st pitch center cut change pummeled for a double. Problem Posey: K on great pitches (nothing in the zone). no score after 1. Urias gave up a run on a double and sac fly in the 3rd, but that was all through 5.1 innings (1R, 3H). Kelly gave up a run in the 6th. Vesia, Graterol and Bickford finished the game giving up no runs.

So Dodgers win the must win game 2 by 9-2.

Game 3- I’m in attendance and getting blown away by the wind (holding onto my hat). The wind was the major story in this game: knocking down several long balls for each team that might otherwise have left the park. Without the wind, the score might have 5-3 Dodgers. As it was, Dodgers out hit the Giants 5-3. In fact, after Scherzer threw a great 7 (1R, 3H, 10K), Dodgers bullpen pitched a perfect 8th (Treinen) and 9th (Jansen). Should have been good enough to easily win, but due to a series of unfortunate plays Dodgers did not score — at all! 2nd shutout in 3 games (yech). Giants 1, Dodgers 0.

Game 4- Now a must win (or go home). Lineup changes: Lux for AJ (questionable), and Lux in CF instead of Taylor, who’s in left (more questionable); Belli at 1B for Pujols or Beaty. Smith moved up into 4 hole (was 8th last night), dropping JT down to 5th (not hitting so well). Mookie leads off with a long fly out, but Seager does well to go the other way for a hit. Trea lashes a hit to the RCF wall and scores Seager from 1B (yay). G Lux leads off 2nd with a banged hit. 7 hole find Belli, who repeats Lux’s hit and drives him to 3B to corner them with no outs. CT3 in a big spot, blasts a long sac fly to left, scoring Lux and moving up Belli for 2-0. Walker K’s, now Mookie with 2 outs hits a hard grounder to the 6 hole knocked down by BCraw to re-corner runners, as Belli holds at 3B. Giants starter DiSclafani is replaced (2nd inning!). Seager now in a big spot vs. a new pitcher, swings at a high pitch and flies out — still 2-0. New pitcher Castro gets Trea, but walks Smith and JT, then is replaced by LHP Garcia to face LH Lux and Belli. Lux also walks to load bases with 1 out. Belli in a big spot bounces meekly into a force at home. Now up to CT3 in 8 hole, and he works count full: CT bashes a deep fly to left and is robbed against the fence (darn it!). Lucky Giants keep it 2-0, as cold air kept that in the park (else a grand slam and game over). Walker leads off with an infield hit off pitcher. In Mookie’s 3rd AB he drills a ball into RF pavilion for 2-run homer — huge! Seager bangs a grounder to 1B for 1st out, causes a double switch. Trea K, Smith rips a double down the LF line, but stranded by JT fly out. 4-0. 5th hits by Lux and Belli again to corners, but CT3 bounces into rundown of Lux, leaving 1st and 2nd with 1 out. PH Souza walks (!) to load bases, Mookie long sac fly for 5-1. 6th Trea gets infield hit. But Smith and JT leave him. Side out in order on 3K’s in 7th. 8th, Seager leadoff hit, Trea long fly out. Will goes Bambino! Huge 2-run homer for 7-2 (yes!). Last man up is PH Pujols (crowd goes wild). Tio Albert flies out.

Pitching: Buehler on 3 days rest throws a very efficient 1st on only 11 pitches. Gets Posey to pop up, but gives up a hit to Bryant on a cookie. Followed by another hit on a mistake to corner runners with 1 out. Yay, gets K on good slider to Longoria. Lucky liner by Yaz down RF line was foul, then lucky again a fastball was lined to 2B, so no runs. 3rd leads off with PH Dickerson whom Buehler punches out on high cheese (96). LaStella flies out, xx K’s on a good slider. no runs through 3. Only 2-0, Buehler now has to go to work, and K’s BCraw, then faces Posey who smashes a 1-hopper to SS (good hands by Seager). Bryant walks on 4. LaMonte grounds out into shift. 2-0 then 4-0. 5th, Longo leadoff hit, then lineout to Betts in RF. Buehler struggling a bit now, walks Dugger on a close call, then Roberts pulls him (OK, this is a BIG game!), and brings in Kelly. Giants work for 1 run. 6th, Graterol escapes with 1 hit by hot Bryant. 5-1. 7th Vesia gets 2 outs, infield hit, relieved by Treinen who gets the final out a K. Treinen in 8th gives a leadoff double to BCraw on an elevated curve — BCraw feasts on those (bad pitch after a great curve that was missed). Crawford scores on a Bryant ground out for 5-2. Treinen nasty to PH for a K looking. 5-2 after 8. Jansen was for the 9th, but now that it is 7-2, Bickford is sent in to close, and he needs to slam the door on this one — and he does.

Dodgers win 7-2 to force a decisive game 5 at San Francisco — just as it should be. Both teams with franchise record 109 wins, and it comes down to ONE final game — seriously.

Game 5- For all the marbles, all hands on deck, there is no tomorrow. The game was an unbelievable dogfight, a grinder — no score through 5. Mookie led off with a roped single, and ended up going 4-4. Seager ripped one the other way but caught by the LFx. Good start, but then Trea grounded into a DP (and went 0-fer). Will Smith and JT also went hitless. Dodgers finally score 1 in the 6th, on a Mookie hit and a steal of 2B, followed by an RBI double to left by Seager. But Giants answer back immediately in bottom of inning with a 450-ft home run by Ruf on a 3-2 fastball down the middle (mistake by Urias). In the 8th, AJ PH infield bouncer for a hit, followed by Mookie grounder up the middle for another hit, but they were stranded by Seager on a K and Trea on fly out.

Tied 1-1 into the 9th, when the Dodgers squeak out another run: JT HBP, G Lux single, Belli single to score JT with winning run. With runners at the corners and 1 out, CT3 tries to bunt for a safety squeeze but pops it up. Then Beaty PH to ground out to 1B. 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th holds up for the win!

Pitching: Great plan to go with a pair of “openers”: Knebel for the 1st, Graterol for the 2nd. Then bring in Urias for the middle innings. Julio pitched great, but made a mistake to groove a 3-2 fastball to Ruf. Dodgers went with high leverage relief: Treinen in the 7th, Jansen in the 8th — both pitched great. But that left a hole for the rave9th. Enter Max Scherzer (on only 2 days test). He gets a fly out to left by BCraw, a Bryant grounder bobbled by JT at 3B for an error. (Some thought that signaled doom.) A called K on a great slider — 1 more out to get. Max gets ahead of Wilmer Flores 0-2, then hurls a slider for a check swing — but the 1B ump surprisingly calls a swing for strike 3! (Bad call, but Dodgers probably would have won anyway.)

Dodgers hold on to win 2-1 to advance to the NLCS vs. Braves and end the Giants magical season (at 109 wins).

Oct 6: Win or go home! Dodgers going with a 1-game roster of only 10 pitchers and 16 position players. They added a bunch of minor leaguers and left off pitchers Buehler, Price and Bruihl. Dodgers get a huge walkoff win! One mistake would have ended the game and the season — for one of the teams. Thankfully the Dodgers didn’t blink: the bullpen shut out the Cards.

Pitching: Scherzer starts for the Dodgers, and has a challenging 1st: leadoff scratch hit, stolen base (not held on, and lousy throw by Smith), walk, fly foul out to Betts, runner tagging to 3B, and then scores on a WP (crap!). Fortunately Dodgers got out of that mess with only the 1 run. Max creates another mess by walking the #8 hitter, bunted over to 2B (Max went to a full count first). But a fly out ends it. Still 1-0. 3rd leadoff hit by Goldy on a full count cookie, then a K on a slider. Force out at 2B on a good play by Beaty, then another good play by Beaty to snag a grounder to end it. Still 1-0. 4th is nearly clean for Maxx, with only a HBP. 5th, with Max at a high pitch count over 80, suffers a broken bat doinker by leadoff hitter again. Walk to Goldy, so 2 on. great K on cheese. Now — oh no — Roberts pulls Scherzer (94 pitches)! You can’t be serious! This move will be heavily criticized. Kelly in, and gets Arrenado to bounce to JT for a force at 3B. Count full, Kelly gets a swing and miss on a slow curve to save the inning at 1-1. 5th out in order, including K’s by Belli and PH Raley (what a waste of an AB). 6th is clean save a HBP for Graterol. 7th is top of order so we get Treinen, who allows a runner to reach 2B, but gets Arrenado to popup foul. Still 1-1. 8th Treinen still in. Leadoff hit beats the shift. Fly ball caught starts an appeal play: looked like the runner failed to re-touch 2B returning to 1B, but appeal denied. Another soft liner to LFx is caught on a diving catch by CT3 for 2nd out. Knebel relieves and K’s on a nasty curve to end the 8th. Jansen gives up yet another leadoff hit to Pesky Edman, who of course steals 2B (bad combo of Jansen slow to the plate and Smith bad throws) — representing go ahead run. Kenley strikes out the side to end the big drama!

Mookie leadoff hit (looked like maybe an error). Seager K looking (swing!) Trea liner at SS who drops it at his toes and gets force at 2B. Trea should run! JT lines one flagged by pitcher. 3 hard hit balls with nothing to show (rats!). 1-0 Cards. Smith leadoff hard grounder up the middle turned into another out (ugh!). AJ pops up. Beaty warning track fly out. 3rd leadoff walk to Belli, sac bunt to 2B. Mookie a looping liner knocked down for a hit — 1st and 2nd 1 out. Seager walk to load bases for Trea. Count full, Trea reaches for an outside curve and hits it — oh no — right to 2B for a DP (ugh!). The only place he could hit into a DP. No runs! Still 1-0. JT leads off the 4th with — hold it — a big blast deep into the LF bullpen to tie the game at 1! Smith and AJ K, Beaty pops up. 6th no runs. 7th Beaty hits into shift for out. Belli gets a hit! CT3 (double switched in for AJ) pops up. Belli steals 2B. Mookie flies out to end it. Seager leads off the 8th and K swinging. Yay Trea singles sharply. JT chases the bait for a K. Will ropes it over the SS head but he leaps and snags it (pooh!). And we go to the 9th tied at 1. Somebody please hit a walkoff! Pujols for the leadoff PH smacks a 3-0 at-em laser for 1st out. Back to back PH with Sousa, same at-em out to CF. Belli is our last chance to end it, and he walks, steals 2B. Up comes CT3, who takes some pitches to let Belli steal. and then … OMG a long fly to deep LF, way back and gone! A walkoff HR by CT3! Yay Dodgers! Now on to San Francisco to take on the Giants.

1. Dodgers tie all-time wins at 106 (matching 2019), but end their 8-season division title streak (to no fault of theirs)
2. Dodgers hit 11 grand slams — most ever.
3. Urias gets 20 wins — most by a Dodger since Kershaw in 2013
4. Trea Turner gets NL batting crown and led NL in steals too — first by a Dodger in either since way back.
5. Muncy led team with career best 36 home runs (after 2 seasons of 35). Others with 20+: JT 27, Will Smith 25, Trea 25, Mookie 21 (CT3 19, and Seager would have too.)
6. Dodgers have 3 legit candidates for Cy Young: Scherzer, Buehler and Urias
7. Off years, led by Belli, then Mookie. Gavin Lux (until final month).

Oct 1-3: Last series of the year — critical to sweep to have any chance to catch the Giants.

Game 1- Good start with yet another solo HR in the 1st, this time by Trea (extends hitting streak). 1-0 after 1, but it disintegrates on the mound as Brewers take a 5-1 lead after only 3. The Dodgers seem to once again settle in to mediocrity — doesn’t look like they want to win this game. Finally some traffic in the 5th, as PH Pujols drills an infield hit to get 2 on, 1 out for Mookie, who singles to load the bases for red hot Seager, but alas a popup (pooh!). Then whoa! A 1st pitch ambush grand salami by Trea (2nd dinger of the game). Game tied at 5 in the 5th! Leading off the 7th as a PH for pitcher, our hero Matt Beaty homers to take the lead 6-5! Betts HBP (a tailer, but wish he just got out of the way). Seager walks, runners move up on WP. Trea walks to load bases. Another WP to plate 7th run. JT ground out. Muncy smashes infield hit to score Seager for 8-5 (and Max’s 93 RBI). AJ bounces out.

Pitching: Kershaw is pitching batting practice in the 2nd. Every pitch is center cut, and thus getting hit hard. 3 runs on 4 hits in the 2nd alone. and oh no! Kersh is pulled after 1.2 innings. I’m gonna guess a stiff back, since his pitches are all elevated. Graterol 1-pitches the inning ender, and comes back for the 3rd. But they keep calling for breaking pitches when they should be using the “Bazooka” at 100+. So Brus gives up a run scoring double on a hanging curve (ugh): 4-1. Ugh, yet another curve gets hit up the middle to plate the 5th run. They can’t hit the fastball — go with his strength! Vesia replaces Grat and gets a strike-em-out throw-em-out DP to end the 3rd at 5-1.

But Trea injures his hand on the tag. Seems none of the Dodgers make tags correctly, least of all Trea, who starts being too far off the bag. Then one has to decide which way the runner is coming in: if head 1st, then block the bag; it feet 1st, make a swipe tag and get one’s hand out of the way of the cleats. Trea held his glove down and let the runner cleat him (not such a good idea).

Game 2– Must win, as Giants have already clinched a tie, and lost today. Mookie pops up. Seager out, but Trea extends his hitting streak with a single. Muncy walks. JT blasts a 3-run homer (his 27th– F-ing yeah! Keep pitching him in, thank you.) 3-1 after 1.

Vesia continue to throw well and sets them down in the 4th. Evan Phillips for the 5th (throwing in the towel?). Sweet backhand ole snag of a 1-hopper by good hands JT at 3B — helps retire side in 5th. Bro Bruihl for a clean 6th in a tie game. Treinen in early in the 7th — must be a high leverage sit. Jam job broken bat grounder handled by Seager. K for out 2 on a filthy curve. Single on a jammer. Bounce out — end of 7th. Top of 8th, 8-5, in comes Kelly, who walks leadoff Yeli. Called K on a borderline curve, as Yeli steals 2B without a throw. 2nd K on a 98. PH Vogelbach a monster, gets count to 2-2. I wanted a heater but Kelly dishes a hanger for an RBI hit (boo). Lead cut to 8-6. Jansen enters the 8th for a 4-out save — and does just that. Dodgers hold on to win this critical game 8-6.

Pitching: Urias starts well, but walks 2nd batter, gives up a double on a center cut curve, and Brews score 1 on a groundout. AJ makes a fine catch on a foul fly, as he leans over the LF foul fence for the grab. AJ is one of the few Dodgers who know how to “find the fence” (although could have been better). Urias 1-2-3- in 2nd.

Game 3- How fun that the results of the whole season is in play on game 162. Seager strokes a 1-out hit. But Trea GIDP. JT starts the 2nd by raking the ball to CF but flagged by JB Jr., then 3 flies up. 7-8-9 in the 3rd goes out in order. Seager a hit in 4th, but that’s all. 5th, walks to Smith and CT3 with 2 out, Beaty PH infield hit to load the bases for Mookie. (Beaty PH for Buehler!) Walk in a run. Another infield hit for Seager (his 3rd) for 2nd run. Trea works count full, then … are you serious? A grand slam! Ballgame on one swing. Trea’s ties grand slam record with 2 straight games. Boom: 6-1 Dodgers. 6th Pujols ropes one flagged in LF, followed by a Smith double. AJ grounds out and moves Smith to 3B. CT3 walks to corner runners. Beaty up for 2nd time singles for an RBI and 7-1. Attack of the B’s: new Brewers pitcher is a triple B: Brian Boxberger to face Betts, who bangs a 1-hopper for last out. Wait, there’s more: Beaty batters a 3-run homer (his 3rd hit) for 10-3 and the win.

Pitching: Buehler off to a hot start with K the side. Then 2 more K’s in 2nd. But Walker hangs and he bangs — a double. But swing and miss K for 3rd out. Sad 3rd: Muncy badly injured wrist when run into by baserunner inside the foul line (called out for interference). Inning ends with a hit robbery by Trea with shoestring catch by Pujols at 1B (replaced Muncy). 4th Buehler gets in big trouble: back to back doubles, then a HBP. Timely K on a nasty curve. Fly out. K. Damage limited to 1 run: 1-0. Walker a clean 5th, ends with his 11th K! Walker out of game, lifted for PH, after only 79 pitches! (Maybe because the Giants went up 9-1.) Also, Roberts rests JT, moving CT3 to 3B and Belli to CF. Bickford for the 6th. After 1 out, CT3 now at 3B throws badly to 1B for an error (Pujols makes a great diving save). With 2 outs, Bickford replaced by rookie Bruihl, who gets the final out. Bullpen gives up 2 runs in the 8th, for 7-3. Lux replaces Seager at SS, then moves to RF for Betts (!), Beaty stayed in the game at 3B (oy).