When you have a chance at closing out a series in the postseason, you do it. The Dodgers couldn’t do that on Wednesday, losing to the Phillies 8-2 in game 3 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. After the Dodgers took both games in Philadelphia, the Phillies fans were going bonkers wondering if the Phillies had fooled them again and complaining about how the team folds under pressure every season on social media and fan podcasts. They were going on and on about how this has happened for the last 3 years now. Or is it four? Boy do we Dodger fans know how they feel. Philly fans were calling the ill-advised bunt by Rob Thomson in the ninth inning of game 2 nonsense. The Dodgers lost in the postseason for seven consecutive years, before they finally won the World Series in 2020. Now that is the real nonsense.
Were the Phillies actually dead? The answer we got on Wednesday after they crushed the Dodgers was no. Not yet at least. Their pitching plans went perfectly. Veteran Aaron Nola opened the game with two scoreless innings, and was followed by Ranger Suarez who pitched five innings of one-run ball himself. The only mistake he made was giving up a solo home run to Tommy Edman in the fourth inning on his first pitch of the game. After that he did not allow anything.
On the other side, the Dodger’s starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was not his usual stingy self. He struggled through four plus innings. Yoshi allowed three earned runs on six hits, while walking one and striking out only two. The biggest factor in the game was Philadelphia’s big three of Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner waking up. Before game 3, Philly’s big three were a combined 2 for 21 with 11K’s. During the postgame presser Dodger’s manager Dave Roberts said something about the air being sucked out of the stadium. That’s ironic because the only thing that sucked air was Schwarber’s monstrous 455 foot home run that landed on top of the right field pavilion roof in the top of the fourth inning that tied the score. Schwarber went onto hit another home run later in the game. Turner notched three hits and Harper had two as well. So much for the big three choking or whatever.
The game was still close though. After Schwarber’s home run, the Phillies added two more runs on singles from Harper and Alex Bohm, and a throwing error from Andy Pages. Brandon Marsh’s sacrifice fly scored the third run. The Dodgers were down 3-1, but not out of it.
They just couldn’t get the big hit, going 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and leaving eight men on base. The odd moment came when the Dodgers called in Clayton Kershaw in relief to pitch the top of the seventh. He wasn’t effective but was able to get out of the inning thanks to a pick-off and a couple of fine defensive plays from Teoscar Hernandez in right.
Before that, Anthony Banda and Jack Dreyer had each tossed scoreless innings of relief and looked fine. There was no reason to let Kershaw come back out for the devil’s frame (the eighth). I’m theorizing that the Dodgers just decided that they didn’t want to burn another reliever and were willing to let Kershaw “wear it” despite that possibly being his final appearance at Dodger Stadium before his retirement. Even if this is true, what are you saving relievers for? The winter?
The Phillies ended up scoring five more runs in the top of the eighth, and poor Kershaw was only able to get out of the inning thanks to a good play from center fielder Justin Dean, as he snared a deep fly against the wall. Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth inning, (why couldn’t he pitch the eighth?) and the Dodgers scored a meaningless run in garbage time in the bottom of the ninth.
So the NLDS continues tomorrow afternoon, with the Phillies giving the ball to their ace Cristopher Sanchez, with the Dodgers countering with Tyler Glasnow. While this is another elimination game for Philadelphia, you could say it’s an unofficial one for the Dodgers too. If the Dodgers don’t close it out on Thursday, they would have to fly back to Philadelphia for a winner take all game 5. We’ve been there before, but do not want to go there again.
Please wrap this up tomorrow Dodgers.
Yeah. Playoffs aren’t unduly impacted by luck.
Not a crapshoot at all!
Well, maybe just a little…..(wink)