Photo Credit: Los Angeles Dodgers on Twitter (@Dodgers)
Post-Game Briefing
With the San Diego Padres nipping at the Dodgers’ heels in the NL West, it was imperative the Boys in Blue win the series to make a statement and they did just that. The offense showed up Wednesday afternoon as the Dodgers put up seven runs, which included a multi-RBI game for Will Smith and home runs by AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.
CT3 with an absolute blast!!!!pic.twitter.com/pc3R0pUZKj
— Dodgers-LowDown (@DodgersLowDown) September 16, 2020
For both teams it was a battle of the bullpens and the Dodgers’ ‘pen reigned supreme holding the Padres to five runs on six hits. After taking a batted-ball off his foot in his last outing in Arizona, Dustin May was originally set to start this contest. However, hours before the game, he was scratched in place of Brusdar Graterol. That didn’t mean May wasn’t going to pitch, though. He entered the game in the bottom of the third and went 5.1 innings, gave up three runs (one earned), struck out six and walked one. Two of the three hits he gave up were a two-run shot to Jurickson Profar in the seventh and a solo shot to Manny Machado in the eighth.
The 7-to-5 win (plus losses from the Rockies & Brewers) ensured the Dodgers clinched a spot in the postseason. They also widened their lead in the NL West to three and a half games.
Scoring Plays
- TOP 2ND: AJ Pollock solo HR (LAD 1-0)
- BOT 2ND: Jason Castro RBI double (1-1)
- TOP 3RD: Max Muncy RBI double (LAD 2-1)
- TOP 3RD: Will Smith RBI infield single (LAD 3-1)
- TOP 5TH: Will Smith 2-RBI double (LAD 5-1)
- TOP 5TH: Cody Bellinger RBI single (LAD 6-1)
- TOP 6TH: Chris Taylor solo HR (LAD 7-1)
- BOT 7TH: Jurickson Profar 2-run HR (LAD 7-3)
- BOT 8TH: Manny Machado solo HR (LAD 7-4)
- BOT 9TH: Jurickson Profar RBI single (LAD 7-5)
DLD Play of the Game
The DLD Play of the Game goes to one of the best storylines of this truncated season: AJ Pollock. Pollock continues to rake in 2020, hitting his 11th home run of the year. Big ‘congrats’ to Pollock, as well, because that home run marked the 100th time he’s gone deep in his career.
Happy 100th home run A.J Pollock!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Bd4h0eWqfx
— Dodgers-LowDown (@DodgersLowDown) September 16, 2020
DLD Player of the Game
The DLD Player of the Game goes to Will Smith who is red-hot at the moment. The Dodgers catcher went 2-for-4 and drove in three of his team’s seven runs. Smith’s first hit was an RBI-infield single in the third followed by a two-RBI double in the fifth.
¡Mantente candente, @will_smith30! 👏
🗣 @jorgejarrin1#LosDodgers pic.twitter.com/Y12DnH3QHF— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) September 16, 2020
Up Next
With only 10 games left in the regular season, the Dodgers travel to Colorado for a four-game series with the Rockies.
In game one, the Dodgers will send Julio Urías (3-0, 3.53 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) to the mound coming off a really solid outing. He went six innings, gave up one run, three hits and struck out five in a winning effort against the Houston Astros on September 12.
Urías will faces the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland (2-1, 3.54 ERA, 1.32 WHIP). Game time is at 5:40 pm PST.
Jake Reiner is a writer and reporter for Dodgers-LowDown and co-host of The Incline Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @QualityJakes.