About Time: Cody Bellinger Wakes Up Dodgers ‘O’ With Clutch Hit
The Los Angeles Dodgers lamented their missed opportunities and miscues in Game 3. The team maintained that they were still confident going into what felt like a must-win game.
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 in extra innings on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium in Game 4 of the NLCS to tie the series at 2-2.
Cody Bellinger would send a sleepy Dodgers faithful home happy with a two-out walk-off single in the 13th inning.
Bellinger, who made an outstanding diving catch in the 10th inning to rob Lorenzo Cain of a lead-off single, finished with two hits on the night.
It was a long time between runs for the Dodgers in Game 4, but they’ll take it as they look to take control of the series with a win on Wednesday at home before the series shifts back to Milwaukee.
The Dodgers bullpen — which saw eight different pitchers used — went eight innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out nine.
Brian Dozier would give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a stinging line drive single to left off left-hander Gio Gonzalez.
After Gio Gonzalez came down awkwardly after throwing a ball to catcher Austin Barnes with no outs and a man on in the second inning, Craig Counsell would quickly go to his bullpen.
Gonzalez had grimaced as he came down awkwardly on his ankle and that was enough for the Brewers skipper to go take the ball from him as Gonzalez finished the game with just one inning pitched.
In Gonzalez place would be 22-year-old right-hander Freddy Peralta. Peralta, inheriting a base runner in the second inning, would have the bases loaded against him.
In easily the biggest moment of the game, Peralta would avert disaster for the Brewers as he escaped the inning with a strikeout of first baseman Max Muncy.
Pitching in his first playoff game, Peralta would have his best stuff going for him against the Dodgers potent lineup as he made Dodgers hitters look routinely silly with his fastball/curveball combination.
Peralta would settle in on the mound in a dominant relief effort as he struck out six batters over three scoreless and hitless innings.
Peralta would be pinch-hit for in the fifth inning after a one-out single by shortstop Orlando Arcia off Rich Hill. Hitting in his place would be Domingo Santana, who delivered with a RBI double to tie the game at 1-1.
Rich Hill — who escaped the inning with a strikeout of Christian Yelich — finished the game allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six over five strong innings.
The bullpen battle would breakout between the Dodgers and Brewers as neither team’s offense could breakthrough as the game extended into extra innings.
After holding the Brewers off the scoreboard for eight innings, the Dodgers would get their first base runner since the ninth inning when Manny Machado singled with one out in the 13th off Junior Guerra.
With two outs in the 13th inning, Cody Bellinger would play the hero for the Dodgers by hitting a line drive to right field to score Manny Machado — who had previously advanced on a wild pitch by Junior Guerra — to win the game.
In a battle of the bullpens late, it was Milwaukee’s which would blink first as Milwaukee was unable to cash in vs Los Angeles’ relief pitchers when the opportunities presented themselves.
Milwaukee went 0-for-8 with RISP and left 10 men on base. Their counterparts didn’t do much better as they went 2-for-10 with RISP.
Considering the unfortunate injury to Gio Gonzalez in the second inning and the plethora of missed opportunities on offense, Craig Counsell and his Brewers should feel like they are the better team moving forward in a tied series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers offense has been neutralized in two games at home in the NLCS as the strikeouts and inability to move runners over nearly put the team in a 3-1 hole.
Thanks to the bullpen showing up big for the Dodgers when needed and Cody Bellinger’s walk-off, the NLCS is a best of three series now.
Clayton Kershaw will take the ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon as the Brewers will go with Wade Miley as both teams look for a 3-2 series lead.
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