Defense decides Game 2 of NLDS between Dodgers and Padres
In what turned out to be a memorable back-and-forth game two of the NLDS, the San Diego Padres bested the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to even the series 1-1.
While there is a lot to unpack in this game, from pitches down the middle called balls, to big home runs or even a wild goose on the field, the biggest factor that decided this game was the defense, both good and bad.
Bottom of the fifth
Mookie Betts had been ice-cold to start the playoffs. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, he had yet to reach base in six at-bats. Betts however drew a leadoff walk, adding his speed on the base paths. Trea Turner showed bunt and Betts took off for second base. Turner pulled back his bunt and Padres catcher Austin Nola made a perfect throw to nab Betts in a bang-bang play. The Dodgers challenged the play, but there was not enough evidence to overturn the call.
Two pitches after Betts was thrown out, Turner hit a hard grounder between shortstop and third base when the two-time Gold Glove and Platinum Glove winner, Manny Machado made an outstanding diving play and was able to throw out the speedy shortstop.
Top of the sixth
Brusdar Graterol was brought in after Clayton Kershaw with the game tied 3-3. With a runner on first, Wil Myers hit a routine double-play ball to Turner. The usually sure-handed defender misplayed the ball, letting Myers reach base and the runner advance to second. The error would come back to bite the Dodgers as Jurickson Profar hit an RBI single, giving the Padres the lead 4-3.
After the Profar single, Graterol still had to get out of a jam with runners on the corners and only one out. The No. 8 hitter Trent Grisham laid down a safety squeeze bunt toward the third base side. With Myers breaking toward home plate, Graterol picked the ball on the run barehanded and made a perfect throw to Will Smith to get the out.
After Graterol’s defensive highlight, he had to face the No. 9 hitter, Nola, who has had a good postseason to this point, with a .455 batting average in 4 games. Graterol got ahead 0-2 and looked to strike Nola out. The Padres catcher crushed a 92 MPH cutter to deep center field. Cody Bellinger ran back on the ball, twisting and turning the entire way before he reached up, snatching the ball out of the air and preventing any more runs from scoring.
After going down 4-3, the Dodgers looked to come right back in the bottom of the frame. Will Smith and Max Muncy led off the inning with back-to-back singles, knocking Yu Darvish out of the game. Flamethrowing reliever Robert Suarez came into the game and struck out Justin Turner to bring up Gavin Lux. Lux chopped a slow roller to second base, where Jake Cronenworth and Kim Ha-Seong turned a nifty double play to get out of the jam.
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