Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock combined for five home runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 11-2 comeback win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers have now won seven consecutive elimination games dating back to last October.
Joe Kelly starting the bullpen game produced a rocky result as he surrendered a two-run home run to Freddie Freeman and failed to make it out of the first inning because of a right bicep strain that has ended his postseason.
Dodger Stadium was shell-shocked by the turn of events, but Pollock changed the mood with his leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning. L.A. then took a lead two batters later when Taylor launched the first of his three homers.
Singles by Pollock and Pujols set the table for Taylor to extend the lead with an RBI base hit in the third inning. Taylor delivered again in the fifth with a two-run homer, and punctuated his night in the seventh with a third blast.
AJ! pic.twitter.com/6AKtpHdDOj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 22, 2021
GO AHEAD, CHRIS. pic.twitter.com/GTOIbDgDqg
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 22, 2021
AND HE'LL DO IT AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/knMCY31tMY
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 22, 2021
A TAYLOR-MADE GAME FOR CHRIS. pic.twitter.com/sNc1K9HVOy
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 22, 2021
AJ ENERGY. pic.twitter.com/3LWO76Xnmf
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 22, 2021
Taylor’s three-home run game was the first by a Dodgers player in the postseason since Kiké Hernandez in Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS. Taylor also joined Davey Lopes (1978) and Hernandez (2017) as the only players in Dodgers franchise history with at least two home runs and five RBI in a single postseason game.
Pollock, Pujols and Taylor combined to go 9-for-14 with five home runs and 10 RBI. Pollock added a second homer in the eighth inning.
Dodgers bullpen shines
Despite Kelly’s early exit, the Dodgers bullpen again rose to the occasion. Evan Phillips collected four key outs, which was followed by a scoreless inning from Alex Vesia. Brusdar Graterol then was efficient over his two frames of work, and Blake Treinen also went multiple innings.
Corey Knebel and Kenley Jansen combined to finish out the win. Although the Dodgers held a significant lead, Jansen was needed in the ninth because Justin Bruihl was experiencing some arm soreness.
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