Dodgers Recap: Game 7 vs A’s 4/7/2021

Ugh. Is there anything worse in baseball than losing a winnable game? Okay, maybe those Astros rainbow uniforms from the 80s, but other than that? This had all the elements of a classic Dodgers loss. Too many runners left on base early, a failure to cash in on scoring opportunities late, and relief pitching that couldn’t get the job done. When it was all said and done, the Dodgers dropped a 4-3 decision to the Athletics Wednesday afternoon in 10 innings.

Things started out promisingly enough. Chris Taylor and Corey Seager both walked to start the game. But the potential big inning got cut off before it started as both Justin Turner and Will Smith struck out. However, AJ Pollock came through with a two-out single to score the game’s first run.

Max Muncy walked to reload the bases for Austin Barnes. But Barnes flied out to left and the bags were left jammed with Dodgers. Those three runners stranded in the first would not be alone. By the end of the game, the Dodgers would leave an unforgivable FOURTEEN runners on base, matching the futility of Opening Day. You can’t do that and win baseball games. The Dodgers only managed to plate two more runs the rest of the afternoon, one on a Zach McKinstry fielder’s choice in the sixth and the other on a Justin Turner double the following inning.

Trevor Bauer, on the other hand, certainly did his part. Though he had much less command of his pitches than he had shown in Denver, he was still able to hold the A’s to two runs, one on a wild pitch and the other on a leadoff 7^th inning home run from third baseman Matt Chapman. But Bauer’s pitch count was too high by then, already close to 100 pitches. He was able to get two outs in the inning, but was pulled for reliever Corey Knebel. Knebel and Victor Gonzalez managed to take the game to the 9^th inning, and lo and behold, the Dodgers were still in a position to win the game.

They went into the 9^th inning clinging to a 3-2 lead. But with all this offensive ineptitude, it was only logical that the team would lose the game on a blown Kenley Jansen save to make the afternoon complete. And again, Jansen did not pitch that badly in the 9th. But his wildness at times got the better of him. He gave up a leadoff single, but then committed the cardinal error of walking the tying run to second base. After a Tony Kemp bunt moved the runners to third, Elvis Andrus stepped to the plate. On a 1-2 count, he flew to shallow center. Center fielder Chris Taylor caught the ball and made a strong throw to the plate. But Will Smith was unable to field it cleanly and the ball skipped toward the backstop as Mark Canha slid under the phantom tag. Tie ball game. Extra innings.

After the Dodgers went 1-2-3 in the top half of the 10^th inning, Jimmy Nelson came on in relief. Now remember, we’re still playing with these bogus extra inning rules where a runner starts on second base. After a Jed Lowrie walk, Nelson got Ramon Laureano to fly to center for the first out. But runner Mark Canha was able to advance to 3^rd, setting up a potential sacrifice fly. The A’s didn’t need it. The next hitter, Mitch Moreland singled sharply to center and Canha scored easily. A’s win. Blech

The Dodgers, now 5-2, will have the day off tomorrow before the action-packed home opener on Friday. Lots of pre-game festivities before the first pitch. Buehler vs. TBA. Hopefully, by then somebody on this team will figure out how to drive in a run when we need it.