Final Score: Dodgers 5 Blue Jays 1
Why The Dodgers Won: Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched his 2nd straight complete game. He gave up just 1 run on 4 hits. One of the hits was a pop-up that should have been caught. He struck out 8, walked none, and hit a batter. He got stronger as the game went on. In the 8th inning, he struck out the side on 14 pitches. He retired the last 20 batters in a row. He threw 103 pitches. Blake Snell threw 100 pitches in a little over 5 innings. Kevin Gausman almost matched Yamamoto pitch for pitch. At one point in the game, he retired 17 batters in a row. It was the top of the 7th that did him in. He gave up two solo home runs to Will Smith and Max Muncy that gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead that they never relinquished. They added 2 more runs in the 8th and won easily 5-1. The good news for the Blue Jays is that Yamamoto cannot pitch every game.
The Key Moments Of The Game: The tone of this game was set in the very 1st inning. The Dodgers scored a run on simple 2-out lightning. A double by Freddie Freeman and a single by Will Smith. In the bottom of the 1st, George Springer opened the inning with a double down the left field line that was scorched 106 MPH. On the very next pitch, Nathan Lukes fisted a little blooper into left field for a single, putting runners on 1st and 3rd with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. coming to the plate. The game could not have gotten off to a better start for the Blue Jays, especially coming off that offensive performance in game 1. In an at-bat that may be looked at as the turning point of the series, Yamamoto struck him out on 7 pitches. He threw 4 splitters in a row and finished him off with an 81 MPH curveball. Then the Dodgers got a little luck. Alejandro Kirk on a 2-1 pitch hit a soft liner but right at Freddie Freeman for the 2nd out. Yamamoto struck out Daulton Varsho, and the inning was over. The Blue Jays could not take advantage of a pop-up that was not caught in the infield in the 2nd inning. They put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out in the 3rd. They were able to tie the game but could not put up a crooked number. From that point on, Yamamoto mowed them down, not allowing a base runner the rest of the way.
Next Game: Tomorrow night in Los Angeles. The series switches to L.A. on Monday. This series has shaped up as expected, strength against strength. The Dodgers’ starting rotation against the Blue Jays’ foul ball, making contact offense. The Blue Jays won round one, knocking out Blake Snell in the 6th inning. The Dodgers won round two with Yamamoto pitching a complete game gem. The Blue Jays will need to win one in L.A. to get back to Toronto. The good news for the Blue Jays is that both Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani, while great starting pitchers, are not length guys. It will be surprising if either one goes over 6 innings. These next two games will really put that shaky Dodger bullpen to the test. The other big question is, does Max Scherzer have one more game left in the tank? Will Shane Bieber be effective is another big factor? The first two games were solid wins for both teams. There was not a lot of late excitement in either game. To me, this series is going to boil down to who is going to win that close, hard-fought one-run game. They are back at it tomorrow.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 