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).