The Dodgers came from behind to overcome a 2-1 deficit by scoring one run in the eighth and another in the ninth to defeat the New York Mets 3-2 in the Gotham City rubber game on Sunday Night baseball. Jedd Gyorko’s RBI single broke a 2-2 tie and plated the eventual winning run for the Dodgers. It was a good game with solid pitching, clutch hitting and impressive relief work for the Dodgers. It was a well enough played game to bring me out of my semi-retirement to put up this recap.
The loss tonight for the Mets is devastating. They’re on the edge of the cliff as their playoff hopes slowly slip away. They entered the evening 3.5 games behind the Cubs for the second wild card spot. The Cubs had already won, and another loss would certainly doom the Mets even further with about 13 games left to play. You could see it on all the faces in the crowd. The disconcerting looks from the players. The flushed faces of the fans. Trailing now by 4 games in the wild card race it would take a miracle for the Mets to make it. Everyone in the stadium could feel it. The Met’s season was slipping away. The clock struck midnight.
The Dodgers made sure that the clock was on west coast time. Despite trailing by a 2-1 score for much of the game. Walker Buehler pitched well, allowing just two earned runs across five innings while retiring the final 11 batters he faced. But Brandon Nimmo’s two-run triple in the bottom of the second seemed to be able to stand up for the Mets.
The Dodgers inched closer when Corey Seager’s RBI single in the top of the fourth closed the gap to 2-1. The Dodgers were unable to get anything against opposing starter Zack Wheeler who tossed seven innings allowing one earned run on six hits and struck out nine. However the Dodgers would rally in the late innings.
In the top of the eighth with left hander Justin Wilson on the mound, Jedd Gyorko (the player of the game in my opinion) worked a walk. Then Wilson slipped and fell off the mound, prompting the umpires to call a balk, advancing Gyorko to second. Another wild pitch moved Gyorko to third. But Max Muncy struck out. Chris Taylor’s clutch RBI double off the wall scored Gyorko and tied the game at 2-2. In the top of the ninth, Gyorko would play prominently again.
With Seth Lugo on the mound for the second consecutive night, Enrique Hernandez doubled. One-out later Gyroko would poke a ground ball single into center to plate Hernandez and give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. Sorry not sorry New York. Kenley Jansen pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth and the rest of the Dodger bullpen was effective. Adam Kolarek recorded the first out of the bottom of the ninth. Then Kenta Maeda was brought in to retire the final two outs. He got Wilson Ramos to fly to right. Robinson Cano drew a walk. Then Maeda strikes out pinch-hitter Joe Panik to end the game.
The Dodgers take two road series and will have a happy flight home. The boys in blue are now 97-54, and remain in the lead for NLCS home field advantage. The Dodgers will fly home to begin the final home stand of the regular season on Tuesday night. They’ll face Tampa Bay for a two-game set before taking on the Colorado Rockies over the weekend.
Gammons on Dodger’s player development:
https://theathletic.com/1214887/2019/09/16/gammons-the-dodgers-amazingly-thorough-development-program-fuels-another-successful-season/
This Dodgers team, which has won consecutive National League pennants and now heads toward October again, may have players they developed, all 25 or younger, starting at half of their positions. That includes a likely MVP (Cody Bellinger) and two middle-of-the-field rookies (catcher Will Smith and second baseman Gavin Lux) who were called up from the minors in the last two months of the season, three years after being drafted.
Starting or relieving, they may have four homegrown pitchers in significant roles — Walker Buehler, Julio Urías, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May. And yes, Gonsolin and May are also just three pro seasons out of that 2016 draft. All four may be in their six-man 2020 rotation, and none of the four will be arbitration-eligible.
Also, last nights game was won without the benefit of a home run. It was the kind of game that teams will see in the PS because slugging may not be as easy to do with the better pitching that will be seen.
Scott
Have not heard anything from Michael Norris in quite some time. Is he OK? I miss his posts.
I think, Package, he got sick of some of the people here whose posts are sophomoric and non-contributing.
Yes, I think you are right, he was tired of hearing from you Brutus, as are we all.
Wow, I read a Brutus post for the first time in 2 months and it didn’t disappoint. The wheel in the sky keeps on turning.
Brutus, have you ever have an original thought?
I think, TrueBlue, he got sick of some of the people here whose posts are sophomoric and non-contributing.
LOL. touche
I haven’t heard from him either. I’ll send him a message. I hope he’s ok