Sons of Steve Garvey

This did not go the way we thought.

Absolute sadness.

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) November 2, 2017

Screencap from Yahoo.com:

In Blue We Pray

In Blue We Trust

And F Yuri Gurriel

The @Dodgers never said die this year, and it was such a fun regular season. So, Verlander, Schmerlander. Here's to a win in Game 6.

— Erin (@erinmscot) October 31, 2017

ASTROS 13, DODGERS 12 (10)

Do you have those dreams where you're trying to execute a basic task and somehow it becomes the biggest struggle in the world? I've dreamt that I'm trying to make a simple phone call yet my hands are moving like they're underwater and I keep punching the wrong numbers.

That's how watching Game 5 felt — in the late innings the Dodgers staged multiple miraculous comebacks to tie the game over and over yet they couldn't quite get over the hump and take the lead. Of course, the Astros seemed to take advantage of every opportunity they created.

I don't know how Dave Roberts does it, or the Dodger players for that matter. Five hours of YES NO YES NO AAAUGH JESUS and these guys are just playing the game like the professionals they are. And keeping their heads! — scoring eight runs from the 5th inning on.

I do know baseball pundits are calling this game one for the ages, but Dodger fans will remember this game as the one where Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen plain ran out of gas. The Dodgers staked Kershaw to a four-run lead and he ended up giving up six runs, all earned, and exiting in the 5th.

Kenley, in his second inning of work and needing just one more out to put the game into the 11th inning, went HBP, walk, single to give the Astros the win.

But we need to recognize the offensive heroes: Seager and Barnes had an RBI apiece; Bellinger had 4 RBIs, including a 3-run HR in the 5th; Puig hit a 2-run HR in the 9th and Taylor tied it up at 12 with an RBI single with the Dodgers down to their last strike.

Alas, it's the pitching that worries. Kershaw, toast. Kenley...toasty. Brandon Morrow talked his way into the game and gave up four runs in six pitches. If Rich Hill doesn't basically have perfecto stuff tomorrow, it's over. (Although if we somehow manage to force a Game 7, I like our chances with a rested Darvish.)

So: Get some rest, eat your Wheaties and join us tomorrow for one, or two, last game(s). And remember...

After five hours of not breathing, we have taken a breath and will say this:

WE GONNA CHEER FOR THE DODGERS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER ON TUESDAY.

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) October 30, 2017

DODGERS 6, ASTROS 2

What. Just. Happened.

The Dodgers rose like a phoenix from the bitter ashes of Games 2 and 3 to win Game 4 in resounding fashion and tie the World Series at 2 games apiece.

The big hero 6 of the game was Alex Wood, who gave the Dodgers almost six innings when the bullpen's collective arm was hanging by a thread. And not only did Wood hold the Astros scoreless for 5 2/3 innings, he held them hitless too. A solo home run by George Springer ended both streaks, but thanks to Wood the Dodgers were in a position to do some damage.

Cody Bellinger had been having a miserable World Series, whiffing more than Midlife Crisis Dude at a college bar, but he finally finally finally finally finally finally got off the schneid with a double off starter Charlie Morton in the 7th. Logie Bear singled him in with two out and the game was tied again. Phew.

After Brandon Morrow, Chris Devenski and Tony Watson all did their jobs, the soft underbelly of the Astros' bullpen presented itself in the form of Ken Giles. The same Ken Giles who surrendered two runs in Game 2. Bellinger doubled again (!), scoring Corey Hotline and giving the Dodgers the lead...the first time they led since the end of Game 2.

The Astros plugged in Joe Buck mancrush Joe Musgrove but the results were the same and/or worse. Austin Barnes sac'd home another run and then Joc Pederson lowered the BOOM goes the cannon/watch the blood and the shit spray! His three-run high-hack HR gave the Dodgers a 6-1 cushion for Kenley Jansen...who promptly served up a dinger to Alex Bregman but escaped otherwise unscathed.

So when we think of all the big names we expect to carry us, the Kershaws and Darvishes and JTs and Coreys, today's game reminds us that the Woods and Pedersons of the world will play their role if the Dodgers are to achieve World Series nirvana.

Two more wins, mofos.

You said it, Krusty.

Hey, turn that frown upside down. All three games have been decided by two or fewer runs. It's anyone's game. And though we are down 2-1, that's with one starter flaming out, Bellinger not hitting squat, our own bullpen melting down once (they were fine last night), and the rest of our offense suddenly not clutch. We will be fine. Let's just win Game 4.

HOU 5, LAD 3

I'm not sure what happened on the flight from L.A. to Houston — measles outbreak? Snakes on a plane? — but the Dodgers turned in their worst postseason performance on the biggest of stages.

Yu Darvish collapsed into a puddle of goo, allowing four runs in 1 2/3 innings. Lance McCullers kindly loaded the bases in the top of the 3rd, and Corey Seager swung on the third pitch he saw into a double play.

Tony Watson and Justin Turner each brought errors to the potluck horror show and somewhere in there Yasiel Puig ran a sure single into an out at second base.

And we only lost by two runs.

On the plus side, Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling (!) were great in relief — but even that has a downside since they probably won't be available tomorrow.

The September Dodgers showed up tonight. The team better ship those assholes somewhere far away or there won't be much more October left.

Yu Darvish vs. Lance McCullers Jr.

It's a 1-1 series tie but Game 2's agonizing loss has Dodger fans praying to Superman/Jebus for a divine performance by Dodgers ace #1B, Yu Darvish.

Look, the two best teams made it to the World series — none of this wild card bullshit — and we're thankful one of those teams is ours. But the flipside is that our opponents aren't just going to roll over and play dead. They're unreasonable like that.

These Astros are damn good. Just ask our bullpen. But let's not lose sight of the fact that in Game 2 we finally dinged their bullpen too, touching up Ken Giles for two runs and Chris Devenski for one.

Minute Maid Park is is paradoxically both more spacious and short-porched, setting the stage for more dingers (of the pulled variety, like pork!) tonight. Expect the likes of Justin Turner and Chris Taylor to treat the 'Stros like King Hippo by uppercutting like crazy.

So join us in the fetal position as we chew our fingernails to the quick and soak our joy/drown our sorrows in alcohol. Who knows, tonight some Dodger fans might even find religion.

Pfffffft that's all I got. Fuck.

CHILLS. Vin Scully throws out the first pitch with some help from Fernando Valenzuela. #ITFDB https://t.co/HhMcHShkGX

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 26, 2017

Try not to cry!

I have a lengthy Post-Game Thread / At-Game Recap coming, on the most incredible Dodger game I've ever attended, but it won't be done soon so I want to post this excellent video of Justin Turner describing his post-game plans, after his Game 1 heroics put the Dodgers up 1-0 in the 2017 World Series:

When asked about his post-game plans, Turner said:

"I'll take a shower, get in my car and drive home, and I'll have a really excited puppy waiting for me when I get home. I'll probably go out back, play with her a while, throw the tennis ball around, and go to bed."

And that's how RedTurn2 celebrates a go-ahead two-run HR in the World Series. Wow.

Love that guy.

Could this thread have featured any other Simpsons screencap?

It's not like the Astros are some dark-horse. This is the two best teams over the majority of the season squaring off and it's just however the dice fall from here on out.

This is one of the best articles I've read about this year's Dodgers team.

From "Why the dominant Dodgers are actually World Series underdogs" by Sam Miller at ESPN.com:

But there's another way to think about the Dodgers: not as a brand or a trademark or a corporation but as a collection of Dodgers. Each Dodger is a person, and if they collectively form the whole -- the designer-brand laundry -- they also never stop being, principally, the individuals. And there is nothing inevitable about the individuals. There was at least one day in each one of these 25 lives when it probably seemed impossible that this would happen.

Miller proceeds to encapsulate individual Dodger stories — some we've heard before, some we haven't. It's the perfect way to get fired up for the WORLD SERIES, BABY!

Who remembers this song on KABC radio 790 before postgame Dodger Talk?

As we await tomorrow's Game 1, there's an excellent photo essay of Dodger Stadium, with shots taken by LAT photographer Wally Skalij this season.

Give it a look; if nothing else, it will allow you to breathe a bit easier before we start hyperventilating again tomorrow.

photo: Wally Skalij, LAT

It's true, it's all true. Morgan Spurlock's documentary about the legendary "Homer At Bat" is coming out TOMORROW on Fox after football.

I KNOW, RIGHT?!?

All our loyal readers already know the SOSG love of all things Simpsons runs deep.

NYY @ HOU
Charlie Morton vs CC Sabathia.

You know, I always thought that song was called "Who Will It Be Now." WHO CAN THE DODGERS BE PLAYING THE WORLD SERIES??? Works for me!

SoSG Sax may have been responsible for the NLCS Game 3 victory. But SoSG reader Quadsevens deserves the credit for calling the Kike Hernandez outburst, AN HOUR BEFORE GAME TIME no less:

QuadSevens said...

I'm calling my shot. Kiké goes deep tonight.

10/19/2017 4:01 PM

Orel said...

Bold call, Quad

10/19/2017 4:10 PM

Wow, Quad called it not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. I've gotta take Q7 to Vegas!

And I'm still on Cloud 9.

I remember being at 2002 ALCS Game 5 when the Anaheim Angels dispatched the Minnesota Twins to advance to the World Series, thanks to Adam Kennedy's three home runs in that game. The place was rocking, of course, because it was a home game.

I can't imagine what it was like for Kike Hernandez last night. I mean, it couldn't have been as loud, being at Wrigley Field. But it was even more majestic (from a RBI perspective). I love seeing Kike's schoolboy grin as he circles the bases each time!

Can't get enough of this!

Mazol Tov to the Most Exciting Dodgers Squad Since Orel, Kirk and Fernando.

Mazol Tov to All The Sons Of Steve Garvey, Living And Deceased

To All The SOSG-Maniacs, Past, Present and Future

To QuadStevens

To Karen

To Erin

To Todd and His Pounds of Peanuts

To Alyssa Milano

To Vin

To Dusty Baker's Toothpick

To Fred's Brim

To Paul

To Karina

To Spank

To all our fellow Dodger bloggers.

To All The SOSG Readers, and those SOSG fans who never learned how to read.

And To Eleven Years of SOSG, which began so humbly with one single post ELEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY!

I've lived in Los Angeles for almost 20 Years. I've seen USC win a National Championship... thanks to someone who mis-spelled their face value tickets on craigslist as "Rose Bow." I've seen the Kings hoist the cup. I've seen the Chargers bring football excitement back to Los Angeles (okay, that's a lie - nobody's seen them).

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

But the Dodgers winning the pennant, watched in a wine bar in Burbank, that will not be lost in time.

Note: It's 3:35am and I just woke up in said wine bar. Has anyone seen my pants?

When the lineup for NLCS Game 3 was posted, I have to admit I thought Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts was nuts.

Cody Bellinger batting second so Puig could bat cleanup Andre Ethier, in his first start this postseason, batting fifth? Chase Utley, in his second start this season, batting sixth? Joc Pederson, who didn't even make the NLDS roster, batting eighth? What the hell is going on here?

And sure enough, all of Roberts' crazy moves paid off. Well, almost all of them: Ethier went 2-for-4 with a HR, and protected Puig, who went 2-for-5; Pederson went 1-for-3 with a run scored after hitting a double; only Utley went 0-for-3 and is hitless in this postaseaon.

But even the Utley thing could be tolerated (not only because we're down an infielder, with Corey Seager out for the NLCS), when Dave Roberts had the tactical cojones to bat Yu Darvish for himself in the top of the sixth, with two out and the bases loaded. Instead of substituting a pinch hitter, Roberts sent Darvish up to the plate. Darvish was 1-for-17 lifetime (.059 BA) with 14Ks. Darvish has a career OPS+ of 8. Darvish has one total base in his entire career.

But Darvish did some crazy bunt-feigning mime act up there at the plate, and on four straight pitches, Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. walked Darvish. The Dodgers stretched a 3-1 lead to a 4-1 lead with the bases-loaded walk, and from then on, Wrigley Field (to quote a tweet from Alanna Rizzo) quickly became a morgue.

Charlie Culberson was at the plate when, after feebly striking out, he watched Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras lose the ball of his bicep (that's why they give catchers that big glove, by the way) and scampered to first to extend the inning, allowing Logan Forsythe to score. Kyle Farmer, he of the 20 AB across his full career, came in to pinch hit and had a sac fly to score Austin Barnes and make it 6-1 LA.

Unbelievable, this Roberts guy. Every move he makes seems to yield dividends.

IN DOC WE TRUST.

But the unsung hero of this game, however, was not Darvish and his game-winning line (6.1 IP, 1 ER, 7 Ks and 1 BB, and 1 RBI), nor Chris Taylor and his HR + triple night, nor even Roberts the genius himself.

No, that honor goes to me, and here's why.

Up 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Roberts went to Ross Stripling, who gave up the bullpen's first hit this whole NLCS and got into trouble when Alex Avila singled and Albert Almora Jr. followed with a ground-rule double that got stuck in the Wrigley ivy. The Chicago crowd started to stir. A HR from Addison Russell would make it 6-4 with none out.

Roberts, wisely, went to Kenley Jansen.

SoSG Sax, even more wisely, moved from the large living room television back to the smaller kitchen television, where the first eight innings of the game were watched and where the Dodgers were rolling.

Clearly, the change in television and room choices at the start of the ninth inning was not working for the Dodgers. So, sure, Jansen came in and got Russell to pop to first, and then Tommy La Stella and Ian Happ to strike out, ending the game. But the move back to the kitchen, when Stripling exited and Jansen entered, was a critical move and a tactical stroke of brilliance that will be discussed in history books forever more. Yeah, Roberts and Jansen had something to do with the Dodgers' preserving the victory, putting the team up 3-0 in the NLCS.

But we all know who really won the game last night for us.

Porn star Mia Khalifa was reportedly ejected from a baseball game after an altercation with a fan. The adult film star, 24, attended the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs game on Saturday when a fan tried to take a selfie with her without her permission, The Daily Mail reported.

According to reports, Khalifa punched the fan in the jaw before being removed from the game. The Twitter account @HooliganBaseball shared a video of Khalifa being escorted out of the stadium while fans booed. However, the newly-minted sports talk show host shared a photo of herself at the game on Instagram denying the incident.

Dodgers score a run as @miakhalifa gets kicked out of the stadium for punching a dude in the jaw who tried taking a selfie! #ThatsSoCub pic.twitter.com/0MHcsGJvUL

— Hooligan Baseball (@HoolyBaseball) October 15, 2017

Fake news

— Mia Khalifa (@miakhalifa) October 15, 2017

Sidebar: when you google "Dodger Porn Stars" looking for potential optics for this article, here's the first two images that pop up. (No pun intended).

On anniversary of Gibson's blast, it's a Turner classic in Game 2 for Dodgers (Bill Plaschke, LAT, 10/15/17):

It is, indeed, the first walk-off homer of his major-league career. It happened just before 8 p.m. at Chavez Ravine, bottom of the ninth, game tied at 1-all, Dodgers on first and second base and an entire stadium holding its breath. Turner dug into the second pitch from the Cubs’ John Lackey and just blasted it. More than 50,000 fans immediately stood as if they knew it was gone. Turner watched it sail, and sail, and, just before reaching first base, stuck out those arms as he could fly.

Chavez Ravine rattled and rocked and swayed with a deafening roar. Turner rounded third and spiked his helmet and skipped into a mob of Dodgers who still might be dancing.

“It was the most electric thing I’ve ever been part of, it’s crazy,” reliever Ross Stripling said.

Many of the players were not even born when Gibson hit his home run, so it’s understandable that they had no idea about the historical significance of the moment until they entered the clubhouse. Yet once they learned, though, a few eyes widened and a couple of jaws dropped.

“That’s all so incredible,” Stripling said. “Just to think, this team is trying to do what that 1988 team did. This home run, following in the footsteps of that home run, a lot of corresponding things that make it feel like destiny.”

Joe Maddon's call for John Lackey to relieve was Cubs' downfall (Dylan Hernandez, LAT, 10/15/17):

With two outs, the top of the order was up, starting with the right-handed-hitting Chris Taylor. Davis wasn’t warmed up but Lackey was.

A career starter, Lackey didn’t make an appearance in the division series. Now, he was being asked to make a relief appearance for the second consecutive night, this time with a runner in scoring position.

How the inning played out was pitifully predictable.

When starting pitchers make relief appearances, there’s a reason managers prefer the bases to be empty. Starting pitchers are greater risks to not have command immediately.

“I’m just betting on his experience right there as much as anything,” Maddon said.

The wager was lost and Lackey walked Taylor. Now, the Dodgers were sending their best hitter to the plate in Turner.

Maddon acknowledged this spelled trouble.

“I liked him a lot on the first guy, Taylor,” Maddon said. “Once that walk occurred, all bets were off against Turner. Nobody is a really great matchup against Turner.”

Turner launched a 1-and-0 fastball into the center-field side of the left field pavilion.

Lackey was his prickly self after the game. Asked about his final pitch, Lackey replied dismissively, “I’ll talk to my pitching coach about that.”

Meet Keith Hupp, the man who nabbed Justin Turner's walk-off homer (Arash Markazi, ESPN, 10/16/17):

"When JT came up to bat I turned to my son and said, 'Hey, it was almost one year ago today that he hit that home run, wouldn't it be cool if he hit one and I caught it again?'" Hupp said. "During his first three at-bats I was envisioning the flight of the ball and he didn't hit a home run.

"And in the ninth inning, he hit it, and it looked like it was tailing and going into center field and man, did I get lucky. I ran across as quick as I could and I reached out three or four feet and caught it."

After the game, the Dodgers brought Hupp and his son back to meet Turner. Hupp gave the ball to Turner and he and his son took photos with Turner and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. While there was no official exchange on Sunday, Hupp expects it will be similar to what he got in return from Bellinger.

"I didn't ask for anything, but they told me they would hook me up, and I'm sure they will," said Hupp, who had 213 text messages on his cell phone by the time he got home before midnight. "That was the biggest ball I've ever caught. I thought the biggest ball I'd catch in my life was earlier this year when I caught the game-winning home run ball from Ian Kinsler when the USA won the World Baseball Classicat Dodger Stadium."

Hupp said he is donating that ball to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. While he has a vast baseball memorabilia collection at home, he said doesn't collect home run balls for money.

"I retired a couple of years ago, and I said I was going to spend my retirement income on baseball," Hupp said. "Last year I went to 109 games, and this year I went to 127 games. I went to all the games at Dodger Stadium this season and 46 games on the road. I've gone to all the playoff games. I always sit in the outfield because I try to catch home run balls.

"I'm an old guy, I'm 54 years, and when I see the ball coming at me, it's such a rush. I got mobbed after I caught the ball [Sunday]. There is nothing like it."

Other articles:

• Why wasn't Cubs closer Wade Davis on the mound at the end of the game? (ESPN.com)
• Tommy Lasorda delivers words of wisdom to Dodgers' Dave Roberts (ESPN.com)
• Dodgers’ Justin Turner Delivers a Walk-Off Homer to Topple Cubs (NYT)
• NLCS: 5 takeaways from Dodgers' walk-off Game 2 win (USAToday.com; includes point #2, "It's definitely not over.")
• History repeats itself for Dodgers (Yahoo Sports)

DODGERS 4, CUBS 1

29 years to the day of Kirk Gibson's famous walkoff HR in 1988!

CHC @ WSH
Kyle Hendricks vs Gio Gonzalez.

WSH @ CUBS
Stephen Strasburg Tanner Roark Stephen Strasburg vs Jake Arrieta.

• For fifth time in a decade, Dodgers believe this NLCS will be different (Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports)
  
• Dodgers executed their team plan to perfection in sweep of Diamondbacks (Eric Stephen, True Blue LA) WARNING: Contains Entertainment Tonight pun humor.
  
• Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1: A Game 3 win and a sweep for those underdog Dodgers (Chad Moriyama, Dodgers Digest)
  
• Dodgers' decision to let Zack Greinke walk was pitch perfect (Dylan Hernandez, LA Times)
  

Yu Darvish vs Zack Greinke.

Yeah, we may be getting ahead of ourselves in dreaming of pool antics, but what a huge freakin relief it is to be in this position, up 2-0 in the NLDS, after getting shellacked in our last six regular-season games against the Snakes.

How did we do it? Above-average starting pitching — your turn, Yu Darvish. Offensive production from the top of the lineup in Game 1 and the bottom half in Game 2 — how about some Wonder Twin power uniting tonight, guys? Oh, and more defense like in Game 2 (zero errors) rather than Game 1 (2 errors).

Listen: Old friend Zack isn't going to roll over for his old team, so let's hope we take a page from the Rockies' playbook and chase him early. Nine more victories!

SoSG AC and I went to NLDS Game 2 Saturday night, and you could cut the tension with a knife.

It's funny, when watching Game 1 on the tele, it sounded like the Stadium was rocking. But SoSG AC told me that at the start of Game 1, there was so much tension, it was crazy. It was almost like the fans were afraid to cheer, until Justin Turner smashed a three-run HR in the first to break the seal early. And yes, it got closer later on in the game. But that top of the first, AC said, was brutal as every Dodger fan in the house had gnawing and churning stomachs.

On television, you'd never know.

So there I was in Game 2, and once again, the tension was high. At the Stadium, you could feel it, even with the fans streaming into the Stadium at 4p for the 6p start. There were no Dodger fans screaming down the corridors. There were no Dodger fans covered in facepaint, ready for war. Even the pre-game Diamondvision banter, focusing on a handful of fans in the left field pavilion, plus shots of the guys carrying the crazy-huge Dodgers flags up and down the main pavilion walkways, were met with sort of tepid cheers.

Maury Wills' tribute and first pitch was brilliant, steeping the Dodgers back into our hallowed tradition. And the unaccompanied national anthem guy was also solid. But it didn't do much to get Dodger fans alive.

And then came Rich Hill's meatball to Paul Goldschmidt, who with one out smoked a HR to left that was never in doubt (I think the exit speed off the bat was something like 108 mph, if I'm not mistaken). Down 2-0 early, and we went quietly in the first. Hoo boy, I thought.

Luckily, Robbie Ray also had control issues and his three WP led to the Dodgers' first and game-tying second run, the latter of which was in the fourth when Logan Forsythe (who had reached on a one-out single) came home to tie the game during a Kyle Farmer AB. Farmer struck out, but then Chris Taylor got a two-out single to score Austin Barnes (who also had singled) and take a 3-2 lead. Finally, the Dodgers crowd could exhale a little bit, and it got a whole lot louder.

The Diamondbacks got closer in the seventh on an absolutely mammoth three-run HR off of Brandon Morrow, but Morrow settled after that fateful first pitch and got the next three outs, and then the Dodgers tacked on another run off of Archie Bradley in the seventh when Ketel Marte let one through the five hole. 8-5 LA through seven, and that's where she ended.

The scoreboard operators (not to mention Rich Hill) had to implore the Dodgers fans to MAKE SOME NOISE multiple times in the evening, but by the end of the game and Randy Newman's famous song, the place went nuts. Dodgers win, 8-5, and lead the NLDS, 2-0.

-----

AC and I were commenting on how Dave Roberts was playing this game like a Game 7: Rich Hill pulled after four innings. Tony Cingrani brought in for one batter (leadoff hitter David Peralta) in the fifth, up 3-2; and then Kenta Maeda in for two surgical outs over four pitches (K, ground to short) to retain the 3-2 lead.

Maeda looked like he was done when Yasmani Grandal (talk about weak bats of late) was in the on-deck circle, but after Puig's RBI single, Maeda stayed in to bat (pop out to second to end the inning), but then struck out JD Martinez in the top of the sixth before Doc went to Tony Watson for the next two outs. When Watson struggled with two singles to start the top of the seventh, Roberts went to Morrow, who started poorly but settled; Josh Fields got the first out of the eighth and then gave up a double to Daniel Descalso, and then Kenley Jansen came in for the five-out save (which was largely efficient, thanks in part to a great play by JT to end the eighth on a rocket to third that he handled smooth like Santana).

Roberts had Granderson come in at the right time. He played Ethier, who took a walk in the seventh. Roberts saved a catcher on the bench in case he needed him. He also wisely never went to Pedro Baez, particularly given the Snakes' big bats who would have feasted on fastballs.

We got four servicable innings out of Rich Hill. We found a great spot for Maeda, who delivered.

Logan Forsythe, after a season full of offensive mediocrity, went 3-for-5 and is batting .500 with a 1.056 OPS in two games.

Austin Barnes went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and has a 1.800 OPS, leading the Dodgers (Turner at 1.475; Puig at 1.445; Corey Seager at 1.125).

On the negative, Cody Bellinger looks kinda lost, going 0-for-5 with some bad Ks that I have to think are rookie jitters. Stay on target, Cody. Stay on target.

Puig keeps getting ahead of himself, following his fifth-inning RBI single by getting picked off at second, when I've gotta think he didn't have a "go" sign. That said, Maeda was at the plate anyway, but once again he has to keep his ego in check despite his prodigious talents (3-for-4 with 2 RBI). Let's hope Roberts can keep guiding Puig to be a team player.

In Doc We Trust, AC said. In Doc We Trust.

-----

So this sets us up for a third game in AZ with the Dodgers starting Yu Darvish.

The Diamondbacks have trust in Zack Greinke, he of the tiny head, which I suppose is exactly what you'd want your skipper to say even after lasting only 3.2 IP with 4 ER in the pivotal Wild Card play-in game. This is why we got Darvish in the first place, though, and this is Yu's chance to step up on the big stage. Let's hope all the talk of his simplified delivery yields benefits.

And, just like the start of NLDS Game 2, I'm nervous again.

Clayton Kershaw (regular season: 18-4, 2.31) vs Taijuan Walker (RS: 9-9, 3.49).

Based on the wild card and playoff games played so far, here are some things we can expect from this game:

• a three-run home run in the first inning
  
• starting pitchers get rocked
  
• Jose Altuve hits three home runs (how he gets in this game I don't know but trust me on this one)
  
• useless reliever (Pedro Baez) faces sure-thing slugger (Paul Goldschmidt) (yikes emoji!)
  
• an 18-out save (paging Kenley Jansen)
  
• people complaining about TBS's tiny score bug