Final Score: Dodgers 6 Blue Jays 5 in 18 innings
Why The Dodgers Won: The much-maligned Dodger bullpen held the potent Blue Jay offense scoreless for 11 innings. Will Klein shut out the Blue Jays over the last 4 innings. He gave up 1 hit, walked 2, and struck out 5. He appeared in 14 games for the Dodgers this year. In a game that featured 5 home runs, 31 hits, 19 walks, 6 of which were intentional, 2 hit by pitches, and 2 Dodgers errors, it was amazing that only 11 runs were scored. Shohei Ohtani was 4 for 4 with 5 walks. The scoring opportunities were numerous, and both teams were just as inept in bringing in runs. The Blue Jays were 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and left 19 runners on base. The Dodgers were 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 18 men on base. There were 49 runners on the base paths during the game. Only 6 of those runners scored. Only 4 runs were driven in by hits that were not home runs. There were only 2 runs driven in by singles, one of which was only because Bo Bichette can’t run. The Blue Jays used 9 pitchers. The Dodgers used 10 pitchers. The other surprising fact about this game, besides the Dodger bullpen, was that the Blue Jays struck out 16 times. After 17 and 1/2 grueling innings, the game ended suddenly with Freddie Freeman taking a center-cut 3-2 sinker over the center field fence to walk it off for the Dodgers.
The Key Moments Of The Game: There were too many to mention. The bottom of the 13th had to be an analytical nightmare. Tommy Edman led off the inning with a double. Then the Dodgers bunted, heaven forbid, him over to third base. Eric Lauer then got pinch hitter Alex Call to pop out on a 2-0 pitch. Then the Blue Jays decided to do the cardinal sin of intentionally walking the batter not once but twice to load the bases. Of course, those batters were Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. They did this to face Freddie Freeman. On the 2nd pitch, Freeman hit it hard but right at the center fielder to end the inning. It was a victory for old school baseball. Freeman would get his revenge in the bottom of the 18th.
Next Game: Tonight, in Los Angeles. It will be interesting to see what effects last night’s game will have on both teams. There could be physical and psychological effects. The Blue Jays’ offense has to be down from having so many chances to win the game but not coming through. The Dodgers’ bullpen all of a sudden has to be feeling real good about themselves. The Dodgers are going from one extreme to the other. They went from possibly being over-rested to the point of exhaustion. This is a team that is a little bit long in the tooth. Even though they won and it is a good thing, you have to wonder a little bit just how much they might have in the tank for games 4 and 5. Then there is the injury to George Springer. Will he miss a game or the entire Series? This would definitely hurt the Blue Jays’ cause. This was by far the most exciting and intense game of the Series so far. Will a win like this give the Dodgers momentum, or will they be running on fumes for the rest of the series? We will find out tonight.
The Goofy Game of Golf/Life Searching for the Answer 