AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
Cody Bellinger’s ninth-inning RBI single propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the host San Francisco Giants in the fifth and final game of the National League Division Series on Thursday from Oracle Park.
The Dodgers and Giants each entered this game with 109 total wins (including playoffs) as the clear top two teams of Major League Baseball.
Their final matchup lived up to the hype and then some in a matchup that felt like a miniseries.
As far as the scoring went, both teams scored one in the sixth: Corey Seager’s double scored Mookie Betts for a 1-0 Dodger edge:
Darin Ruf answered with a solo shot to tie the game at one:
On the mound, Giants starter Logan Webb dominated with seven innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
For L.A., Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ gamble to go with an opener worked as Corey Knebel and Brusdar Graterol each pitched one shutout inning before giving way to starter Julio Urias, who did enough (4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K) to keep L.A. around.
The game came down to the ninth inning with both teams tied at one. Giants reliever Camilo Doval allowed two runners on base due to a Justin Turner hit-by-pitch and a Will Smith single. That brought up Bellinger, whose single proved to be the difference.
L.A. then had runners on the corners, but a Chris Taylor popout bunt and a Matt Beaty groundout ended the threat.
San Francisco then had to get the job done against starting pitcher Max Scherzer, who was looking for his first-ever save in a newfound closer role.
Kris Bryant got on with one out after Turner couldn’t handle a groundball at third, bringing up “Late Night” LaMonte Wade, who hit .565 in the ninth inning during the regular season, per Baseball-Reference.
However, Scherzer caught Wade looking for out No. 2. That brought out Wilmer Flores for a chance to be the hero.
Scherzer got ahead 0-2. His third pitch appeared to end in a check swing that did not cross the plate, but first-base umpire Gabe Morales called him out:
The defending World Series champion Dodgers will now make their fifth NL Championship Series appearance in six years. It’ll be a 2020 NLCS rematch with the Atlanta Braves, who fell to L.A. in seven hard-fought games last year.
The Giants’ season is over after a phenomenal year that included a franchise-record 107 regular-season wins.
Notable Performances
Dodgers RF Mookie Betts: 4-for-4, R
Dodgers CF Cody Bellinger: 1-for-4, GW RBI
GIants SP Logan Webb: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Giants LF Darin Ruf: 1-for-4, HR
Betts Sets the Table, Bellinger Finishes the Job
Betts was the only Dodger batter consistently able to solve Webb’s sorcery on Thursday. All three of his singles against the Giants ace were line drives to left field.
The first two led to nothing as the Dodgers were unable to get Betts across home plate. The third one did after Betts stole second base and Seager drove him in with a double to give L.A. a 1-0 edge in the sixth:
Betts even managed a fourth hit thanks to an eighth-inning single off Trevor Rogers, although he was stranded on base once again. Still, he made some history along the way:
Betts entered Game 5 hitting 9-of-20 (.450) in elimination games since joining the Dodgers before the 2020 season, per ESPN Stats & Info. That has now ballooned to 13-of-24 (.542), showcasing his remarkably clutch nature when the pressure is on.
Despite Betts’ best effort, the Dodgers only had one run through eight innings.
Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP who was one of the game’s best players before inexplicably hitting just .165 this season, eventually came to the dish with runners on first and second.
The postseason has been a far different story than the regular season, as Bellinger has showcased his immense ceiling and true talents. He entered Thursday hitting .308 (.400 OBP) in the playoffs alongside three runs and a pair of RBI.
Like every other Dodger not named Betts or Seager, Bellinger entered the ninth inning hitless on the night though.
He didn’t end in that way after slicing a single through the shift to score Turner and give his team a 2-1 lead:
It was a great piece of hitting for Bellinger, whose return to his older form makes the Dodgers an even greater favorite entering the championship series round.
Max Scherzer then shut the door in the ninth, and now L.A.’s quest for back-to-back World Series continues.
Logan Webb: Superstar
This was undoubtedly a devastating loss for the Giants, who ended their season on a bad call and a brutal loss to an arch rival.
However, Webb’s phenomenal performance can’t be forgotten.
Webb entered his third MLB season with a 5.36 ERA, 1.52 WHIP in 21 games (19 starts) over the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
It would have been difficult for pretty much everyone to envision Webb developing into a bona fide staff ace, let alone one capable of shutting down the dominant Dodgers defense twice in the playoffs.
And yet that’s what happened.
The 2021 season was a completely different story for the 24-year-old Webb, who went 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 158 strikeouts in 148.1 innings.
He was given the ball to start and end this series and answered the bell each time.
On Thursday, Dodger batters not named Betts went 1-for-21 with one walk and seven strikeouts versus Webb. Seventeen of Webb’s outs were courtesy of strikeouts, groundouts or infield lineouts.
No Dodgers outside Betts got a hit until the sixth inning. Webb also faced the nine-batter minimum through three innings to get his team going.
The most impressive part of Webb’s night aside from his ability to ward off the pressure of a massive game and dominate with ease was his mastery of his entire arsenal. He fooled Dodger batters with his variety of pitches to limit the damage through seven frames.
He got Steven Souza Jr. swinging on a slider outside the zone.
He notably caught Gavin Lux looking twice, one after painting the black on the upper-right hand corner and the zone and the other thanks to a filthy sinker:
The fastball was working, too, as Webb showcased his excellent movement and location. This pitch up and in led to Taylor’s swing-and-miss to end the fifth:
Webb punched out 10 Dodger batters in 7.2 shoutout frames in Game 1 en route to a 4-0 victory. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post put his series performance in proper perspective:
New York Mets starting pitcher Marcus Stroman provided lofty public praise for Webb, who doesn’t need to throw gas to be dominant:
This game didn’t end in victory for Webb and the Giants, but San Francisco has a true ace who can lead them back to October glory throughout the upcoming decade.
What’s Next?
The Dodgers will host the Braves for Game 1 of the best-of-seven NL Championship Series on Saturday at a to-be-determined time.
The Houston Astros will welcome the Boston Red Sox into town to begin the American League Championship Series on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
The winners will face off in the World Series beginning Tuesday, October 26.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
