Padres one game away as the Dodgers “best record in baseball” looks in tatters
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 San Diego Padres 2, 14th October 2022.
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 San Diego Padres 2, 14th October 2022.
With the Evil Empire of the New York Yankees beaten 4–2 at home by the Cleveland Guardians and the Atlanta Braves tattooed by the increasingly impressive Philadelphia Phillies 9–1, was it too much to ask for a win for my beloved Los Angeles Dodgers and what would in effect be a perfect Friday of October play-off baseball? In a break from the norm I’m penning this article in real time (currently 1.09am) and ahead of the game’s first pitch from the San Diego Padres Blake Snell, I’m a worried man. Dodgers starting pitcher Tony “The Cat Man” Gonsolin has an incredible regular season record (again) but I always fear he’s on the precipice of a blowout and I hope that on this evening and during this UK morning it won’t be today, or is it yesterday or was it last night? It’s 1.15am UK time and I’m in desperate need of some sleep but I’m also desperately hoping my favourites from Los Angeles can fire up their bats and take the impressive Snell deep, often and quickly out of the game.
Time will tell.
It always does.
2.09am Dodgers 0 Padres 1 — Bottom of the 1st
A 30 minute 1st frame and the Dodgers “Cat Man” is responsible for the vast majority of the game time. A 31 pitch extended 1st inning and I can’t see Gonsolin going much further. Whilst the Padres seem as though they’re waiting on his fastball, the Dodgers couldn’t hit Snell’s as he struck out the side around a hard hit single from Mookie Betts. Gonsolin’s 1st inning torture resulted in a double to right field from Juan Soto that was eventually “batted in” by Jake Cronenworth’s single up the middle and with only one run scoring, both teams left runners in scoring position, a continuing theme of the series so far.
3.08am Dodgers 0 Padres 1 — Bottom of the 3rd
Tony Gonsolin only pitches a further 10 tosses that both Trent Grisham and Austin Nola tattoo to the outfield without scoring but his race was clearly run, with Andrew Heaney pitching in relief so early and in just the middle of the 2nd inning. An inning later, Heaney is let down by the defence behind him as Trea Turner drops Jake Cronenworth’s jammed “flare” into centre field but brilliantly strikes out both Will Myers and Ha-Seong Kim to end the inning and keep the score line at a precarious 1–0.
On the other side of the baseball, the Dodgers have left 2 runners in scoring position (3 total in the game so far) and after both Trace Thompson and Freddie Freeman worked themselves a walk to add to Austin Barnes hard hit single, Will Smith lamely “popped up” with the bases loaded and the Dodgers fail to score again. Although the Dodgers have taken Snell deep into many 3 ball counts he’s yet to bend to a scoring run, snagging 6 strike outs hence far in a dominating performance on the mound for the Padres.
3.57am Dodgers 1 Padres 2 — Bottom of the 5th
Blake Snell runs through the Dodgers batting order in the 4th as he sits down Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Chris Taylor in order but runs into baseball “traffic” in the 5th and only just escapes the inning with the lead. Trace Thompson’s “bloop single” is followed by a hard hit double from catcher Austin Barnes for his second hit of the game. Mookie Betts’ “Sac Fly” scores Trace Thompson, advances Barnes to 3rd base however both Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman fail to bat in Barnes but the Dodgers are on the score board, and it would seem Snell’s pitching race is now run.
On the other side of the pitching mound, Andrew Heaney notches 4 crucial strike outs in relief for the Dodgers, giving up just 2 hits but 1 of which is a huge home run from the bat of Trent Grisham. Aside from this, Heaney’s 3 inning outing in relief is a very strong one and after leaving the game after striking out Jake Cronenworth, his replacement, Yency Almonte, strikes out both Will Myers and Ha-Seong Kim with filthy unhittable “sliders”, and with 4 innings left this tight, low scoring series continues in a similar vein with the Padres holding a slender 2–1 lead.
4.41am Dodgers 1 Padres 2–7th Inning Stretch
Surprisingly, Snell returns to the mound in the 6th but gives up a long and loud fly out to Will Smith before his 96th pitch of the evening is crushed by Max Muncy down the right field line for a big double. Leaving with the lead, Snell is replaced by Nick Martinez who strikes out Justin Turner before forcing a weak ground ball from Chris Taylor to retain his team’s 2–1 lead. Hard throwing leftie Alex Vesia replaces the impressive Yency Almonte on the mound for the Dodgers at the bottom of the 6th inning and after getting a lame “pop up” from Trent Grisham he gets a terrible decision on a perfect strike out that’s called a “ball” which advances the Padres catcher Austin Nola to 1st base. Jurickson Profar works a walk and after a huge non scoring fly out from Juan Soto his race his run and Evan Phillips is called upon from the bullpen to deal with ex Dodger Manny Machado.
With runners on 1st and 3rd for the Padres and their Ace in the batters box, Phillips majestically strikes out Machado and the score remains 2–1 in favour of the Padres at the bottom of the six inning.
Approaching baseball’s pleasingly traditional “7th inning stretch” the Dodgers run into the hard throwing right hander Luis Garcia who sits down Trace Thompson, pinch hitter Gavin Lux and the dangerous Mookie Betts in order. Lux was unlucky with his strike out (see Alex Vesia v Trent Grisham in the previous inning) and whilst the Padres are seemingly collecting the better of some bad umpiring calls they still hold a precious 2–1 advantage and need just 6 further outs to win this crucial 3rd game in a series of 5.
4.49am Dodgers 1 Padres 2 — Bottom of the 7th
Evan Phillips returns to the mound for the Dodgers before returning to the dugout after a carefree 1,2,3 inning that sits down Josh Bell on a strike out and both Jake Cronenworth and Will Myers on weak ground outs, and with 2 innings left the Dodgers need at least 1 run and the Padres need 6 outs.
5.11am Dodgers 1 Padres 2 — Bottom of the 8th
Now on the mound for the Padres is the hard throwing right hander Robert Suarez who keeps his team’s lead intact but only after the scare of a hard hit single from Trea Turner. With Turner on base and representing the tying run at the very least, Suarez dispatched Freddie Freeman and Will Smith with weak ground outs before striking out Max Muncy and leaving the Padres needing only 3 further outs for a crucial and possibly series defining win.
Ha-Seong Kim, Trent Grisham and Austin Nola all have a chance for an “insurance run” but the Dodgers relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle sits all 3 down in order and it’s over to the Padres “closer” Josh Hader to seal the deal and as above, a series defining win.
5.23am Dodgers 1 Padres 2 — BALLGAME
The hard throwing leftie did what the hard throwing leftie does, sitting down Justin Turner, Chris Taylor and Trace Thompson in order and, as if to order as the Petco Park crowd screamed constantly all evening to “Beat LA”, beat LA they did.
Damn.
Postscript
12.39pm: Following 4 hours of sleep and a hearty breakfast I’ve come to the realisation that I hate baseball. Damn silly game! And I will not be watching another game ever and never liked the game anyway and quite frankly I have much better things to be doing with my time.
“Take, me out to the ballgame
Take, me out to the crowd”
Oh ok, I’ll see you later at 2am! Just don’t forget to bring your rally towel!
After game quotes:
Manny Machado (San Diego Padres)
“One win away. But they’re a good ballclub over there. They’re going to bring it all tomorrow. We’ve just got to go out there and take care of our business. We’ve got big-game Joe on the mound.”
Dave Roberts (Los Angeles Dodgers Manager)
“It was a very good regular season, but as we said before, none of that matters. We’re in a five-game series against a very good ballclub that we’re familiar with, and the team that plays the best baseball is going to win the series.
“Up to this point, they’ve played better than we have.”
Thanks for reading. My three most recently published articles are linked below and which hopefully provide a representation of what can be found within my general archives:
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The psycho and the freak show and the end of Michael Myers?medium.com
Padres level the series in a humdinger of a game at Dodger Stadium
Los Angeles Dodgers 3 San Diego Padres 5, 12th October 2022.medium.com
Salah’s six minute hat-trick steals Firmino’s thunder as the Reds rout the Blues
Rangers 1 Liverpool 7, UEFA Champions League, 12th October 2022.medium.com