Steve Webb
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — What a great day of baseball. After gacking it up big time less than 24 hours earlier, the Dodgers came on like gangbusters in the hastily scheduled doubleheader on Saturday. They played a little eighth inning smallball to win the first game of the pair, and in the nightcap, the Dodgers relied on Mookie Betts, who hit a pair of solo home runs to provide the difference in a second straight 3-1 win.
This game started the way that Friday’s game did: with some thunder in the top of the first. This time, it was DH Josh Bell who supplied the thunder when he pulled in his hands and demolished a Julio four-seamer. 430 feet later and it was 1-0 Marlins. Though Julio’s first inning struggles continued, he settled in nicely afterward, and pitched around some leadoff baserunners a couple of times. In the end it was a great start for the Dodgers’ lefty: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER 0 BB, 5 K.
As for the offense, the team had trouble breaking through against starter Braxton Garrett at first. They were able to tie it in the bottom of the second with a walk and a couple of singles, the run-scoring blow delivered by Kiké Hernandez, breaking an 0-for-12. In the next inning, the Dodgers took the lead, with Mookie Betts’s first homer of the day. He got a 2-1 fastball up in the zone and blasted it deep into the humid night. The ball had plenty of carry, landing 400 feet from home plate. As he touched home plate with the go-ahead run, Betts motioned to the crowd acknowledging special fan LeBron James, who was there at the Ravine to celebrate his bobblehead night.
A few innings later, King James got treated to a bit more Mookie magic. In the bottom of the fifth, Betts provided a bit of insurance to the lead when he took Garrett deep a second time, this one about twenty feet further than the first. And once again, Mookie saluted LeBron as he crossed home plate. This time, James reciprocated the gesture with a tip of the cap and a deep bow. As Mookie said after the win, “Game recognizes Game.”
However, though Mookie was the hero at the dish, we can’t let the game go by without giving some love to the Dodger defense in this one. Continuing a string of some really strong defensive performances, the Dodger infield made at least four huge plays in this one, from almost everyone on the diamond. Amed Rosario made a great turn on a double play. Miguel Rojas made an insane grab on a hot groundball and Kiké Hernandez made an almost impossible play on a slow grounder to third to record the final out of the game. It was brilliance all around.
Before that great Hernandez play things got a little dicey for Brusdar Graterol in the top of the ninth. Jake Burger hit a leadoff single and after a couple of fielders’ choices, Avasail Garcia singled as well, to put the tying run on first with two outs. That set up the play of the game. Pinch hitter Jesus Sanchez stepped into the box with a chance to make the game very interesting indeed. Graterol got ahead 1-2 and then threw a couple of high heaters, but Sanchez wouldn’t bite. Or, at least the umpiring crew said he didn’t bite. Manager Dave Roberts was visibly upset at the extra life given to the hitter in a game that should have been over.
But the game WAS over on the next pitch. Sanchez hit a ground ball down the third base line. Hernandez was shading toward the hole, so he had to cover a lot of ground to even get to the ball, but in a move that only Kiké would think to try, he whipped the ball across the infield to nip Sanchez by an inch or two at first base. The Marlins challenged the play, but the out call on the field was confirmed. An awesome end to and awesome day and an awesome homestand.
Now 17-2 this month, the Dodgers take their show on the road, heading to Cleveland and then on to Boston, to face a couple of teams clinging to their playoff hopes by their fingernails. Because of the weather, the Dodgers have been gifted an extra travel day, so won’t get into action again until Tuesday night, when Bobby Miller toes the rubber against guess who? Noah Syndergaard. The struggling Dodger was dealt at the deadline for Amed Rosario and since joining the Guardians, Thor is 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA. In other words, sliiiiiiightly better than he was in LA. Should be a good game on Tuesday. Game time is 4:10 pm. See you at the ballpark!
