The Los Angeles Dodgers had a performance to remember in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves with their first comeback postseason victory of three runs or more when trailing after the seventh inning in franchise history.
Corey Seager opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning and the Dodgers loaded the bases after, however, Braves starter Charlie Morton was able to work out of it.
The Dodgers then fell apart in the fourth inning, beginning with Gavin Lux dropping a ball in center field that left two runners in scoring position. Walker Buehler then went to a two-strike count against Joc Pederson and threw a perfect pitch inside the strike zone, but umpire Jerry Meals called it a ball.
Pederson promptly took advantage by connecting on an RBI single. Adam Duvall followed with a game-tying broken-bat base hit and after a walk to load the bases, a hard ground ball kicked of Seager’s glove to give the Braves a 3-2 lead.
Buehler almost got out of the inning but ended up walking Eddie Rosario to bring in another run. The Braves added another in the fifth inning and the score remained 5-2 way until the eighth.
Corey strikes first! pic.twitter.com/0Q0wDZI29q
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 19, 2021
OCTOBER BELLI. pic.twitter.com/ZZ1vxcBaGq
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 20, 2021
MOOOOOOKIE! pic.twitter.com/2iR7Pj4qHA
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 20, 2021
Shut it down, @kenleyjansen74! pic.twitter.com/zhTfFfjuax
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 20, 2021
Entering the bottom of the eighth, the Dodgers had just a 6% chance to win the game.
But just when all hope seemed lost, Will Smith and AJ Pollock hit back-to-back singles to put the tying run on base.
Cody Bellinger came to bat and went to a 1-2 count when Luke Jackson threw a high fastball. Bellinger swung and connected. He knew the ball was gone immediately off the bat as he tied the game with a three-run homer.
Chris Taylor followed with a single and then stole second base to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. After a groundout from Matt Beaty advanced him to third, Taylor scored the winning run on a double from Mookie Betts.
In the ninth inning, Kenley Jansen struck out the side against Austin Riley, Pederson and Duvall to complete the Dodgers’ 6-5 win.
Dodgers bullpen continues to produce
After Buehler left his start in the fourth inning, Alex Vesia was called on to face Freddie Freeman, and retired him on one pitch.
The Dodgers ended up using seven more pitchers following Buehler and Vesia, as the bullpen combined to log 5.1 innings while only allowing one run on five hits.
The bullpen has been a strength for L.A. throughout the postseason as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts continues to lean on them to get important outs and eat innings.
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