Steve Webb
NLDS Game 2, 10/6/2024: Dodgers 2, Padres 10
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Think of the high that you felt after the Dodgers’ great performance in Game 1. Now, think of the exact opposite feeling. That is about where Dodgers’ fans heads are at after game 2. The team couldn’t buy a break early and then fell apart late and the Padres cruised to a 10-2 win that evened up the series.
Jack Flaherty got the start in this one and got stung by the long ball early. In the first inning, it was Fernando Tatis Jr. hitting a long homer to get the Padres on the board, then in the top of the second, our old buddy David Peralta smashed a two-run shot to center to stake the Padres to a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers were victims of some good defense and bad breaks in the early going. In the first, Mookie Betts hit what looked like a game-tying home run to left field, but Jurickson Profar reached into the stands to pull the ball back into play. Profar was so eager to milk the moment for all that it was worth, he faked out the FS1 announcing crew and the cameraman before everybody realized that he had indeed robbed the homer. Ugh.
Then, in the bottom of the second, the Dodgers started to put together what looked like a solid rally, loading the bases for Gavin Lux. Luxy hit a sac fly to plate a run, but the next hitter, Tommy Edman hit a scorching line drive right at first baseman Luis Arraez, who then stepped on first for an easy double play to end the inning. The game went into the third inning with the Dodgers down 1-3, hoping that these missed opportunities wouldn’t come back to haunt them.
The score stayed stuck at 3-1 through the fifth inning as Jack Flaherty seemed to regroup from the rocky start and put togehter a decent outing. Things to a bit of a left turn at the top of the sixth, when Flaherty plunked Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch. Tatis, who was having another great game with two hits and a robbery of a sure double from Freddie Freeman, took a very slow walk to first base.
After that, noted loudmouth Jurickson Profar came to the plate and exchanged words with his old buddy Will Smith. Profar then laid down a bunt base hit that put Flaherty in a bit of trouble with two men and on and nobody out. This brought up Manny Machado, who was struck out by Flaherty, who gave him a profanity-laden goodbye as he headed for the dugout. Unfortunately, Flaherty would not be around to see the end of the inning. Anthony Banda came in to relieve Flaherty and gave up an RBI single to Jackson Merrill that made the score 4-1. Banda got out of the inning with no further damage and the book on Flaherty was closed: 5.1 IP, X H, 4 ER, X BB, X K.
Then things turned ugly. As the Padres took the field in the bottom of the seventh, Jurickson Profar started jawing with the fans in left. After which, some knucklehead in the stands chucked a ball in Profar’s direction, which incensed the Padres’ outfielder. Then stuff started being tossed at Fernando Tatis in right. It was a ten minute delay before play finally resumed. But it was the same result for the Dodgers: no runs in the inning. Darvish finished up the inning, and walked off the mound with a brilliant night: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
The dagger came in the eighth off reliever Ryan Brasier. After Brasier retired the first two Padres in short order, Manny Machado hit a single into center, which was followed up by a Jackson Merrill home run, and suddenly it was 6-1 Padres. Then, after a pitching change, Michael Grove gave up a ANOTHER home run, this one to Xander Bogaerts, and the rout was on. Ugh. It would take a miracle to come back in this messy game.
No miracle would be forthcoming. In fact, the Padres went on to smash a couple more homers before they were through. It was six homers in all (Tatis, Peralta, Merrill, Bogaerts, Higashioka, and Tatis again). It was the most home runs that the Dodgers have ever surrendered in a postseason game. Not great, to be quite honest. Max Muncy hit a meaningless home run in the ninth, but there wasn’t a lot to feel good about in this game. Mookie was hitless (again). Freddie got pulled because of the ankle, and Shohei was 0-for-4. Suboptimal.
So, Act I of this little melodrama is over. We take a little one-day breather for everybody to resituate themselves down to San Diego, and then the “fun” resumes on Tuesday with Game 3 of this best-of-five-series. Michael King, arguably the Friars’ best starter this year, will get the ball in San Diego, which is absolutely a must-win for the Padres. The Dodgers will most likely counter with Walker Buehler, who is no stranger to the big moment in his Dodger career. If Buehler can rise to the occasion, the Dodgers will be in good position. If not, it might be another early exit. Game Time will be a little later, 6:08 PM PDT. Clear your heads, Dodger fans. This thing ain’t over.
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