In what was one of the most thrilling postseason games in recent years, the Los Angeles Dodgers hung on to earn a 6-5 victory over the San Diego Padres and take a 2-0 lead in the National League Division Series.
The Padres got on the board first with a run in the second inning, although the Dodgers quickly answered back with three in the third. Corey Seager got the big hit of the inning, a two-run double down the line, and then Max Muncy drove him home with a single.
Cody Bellinger hit the only home run of the night for the Dodgers, a solo shot to dead center field to lead off the fourth for his first of the postseason.
That wasn’t even the biggest highlight of Bellinger’s night as he had arguably the best catch of the season in the seventh inning. With L.A. clinging to a slim 4-3 lead, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went to Brusdar Graterol with two outs and a runner on base to face Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis put a good swing on a 99 mph fastball, driving it to straightaway center. Bellinger tracked it down perfectly and leaped at the wall, making an incredible catch to rob Tatis of a go-ahead home run and end the inning.
Graterol was so excited that he threw both his hat and his glove to the ground, celebrating the catch his teammate just made to save his bacon and protect the lead.
Manny Machado, who heaved his bat on a home run an inning before, took exception with Graterol’s celebration, shouting some expletives to him and the Dodgers dugout. They yelled back, but nothing else came out it.
Graterol then faced Machado to begin the next inning, getting him to ground out.
Dodgers bullpen makes it interesting
The Dodgers tacked on two more runs on a sacrifice fly by Justin Turner and single by Muncy to make it 6-3 going into the ninth inning.
Roberts went to Kenley Jansen to close it out, although he was unable to get the job done. Jansen was able to record two outs but he also gave up three hits and two runs to make it a 6-5 game with Tatis due up.
It was then that Roberts had seen enough, going to Joe Kelly for the final out. Kelly’s command was a little off, to no surprise, as he walked both Tatis and Machado to load the bases. He then got Eric Hosmer to ground out to end the game, securing the victory and 2-0 series lead with a chance to complete the sweep on Thursday night.
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