Trailing the Boston Red Sox two games to none in the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers desperately needed a gem from rookie starter Walker Buehler in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium, and that is exactly what they got.
Buehler turned in one of his best outings all season, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits and no walks with seven strikeouts on a career-high 108 pitches. His fastball averaged above 98 mph, which was the highest velocity he has pitched with in 2018.
“I think that certain people can handle a moment like this and understand what was at stake tonight. And we needed his best effort. And we needed him to go deeper than their starter, log some innings. And some guys run from it. Some guys can’t answer the bell,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“But this guy, he’s got an overt confidence, a quiet confidence, a little combo. But he’s got tremendous stuff. And he lives for moments like this.
“So it’s good to have obviously him on our side. And the age is really something we don’t concern ourselves about. It’s kind of what’s in between the head and the heart. He’s got what it takes to be that top-of-the-rotation guy.”
The Dodgers offense did not get much going, but they eventually wound up winning the game, 3-2, in 18 innings to get in the win column and cut their series deficit to 2-1.
Because Buehler was able to get through seven innings, the Dodgers bullpen is not quite as taxed going into Game 4 as the Red Sox, who only got 4.2 innings out of their starter Rick Porcello.
It is truly incredible that the 24-year-old has been able to come up big time and time again when his team has needed him the most. He may have to do it one more time though as he is currently in line to start Game 7 at Fenway Park, if the series makes it that far.
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