Welp, the Los Angeles Dodger season comes down to one game tomorrow. The San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 2=1 in Game Three of the NLDS. In what was an embarrassing performance from the Dodger offense.
All Dodger fans following the past decade’s postseason runs are familiar with this. The inability to bring in RISP is quite embarrassing. It was awful. The strike was wide as it is, but the Dodgers rolled over. The Dodgers went 0-19 with RISP, the worst stretch in Dodgers postseason history. They’ve only scored four runs in the last 22 innings.
The Dodgers 3-5 batters went 1-11. You’re not going to win many games like that. The only Dodger hitter with multiple hits was Austin Barnes, who was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning. The pitching was good, only allowing two hits, but the Dodgers offense went missing. The same offense that was the best during the regular season looked nothing alike.
Things started shaky for Dodger starter Tony Gonsolin who only lasted one ⅔ inning. He allowed one run and four hits in that quick start. Left-hander Andrew Heaney followed with three innings giving up a solo home run to Trent Grisham. The bullpen then pitched a scoreless outing, but it didn’t matter how bad the offense was.
The solo home run to Trent Grisham ended up being the sole difference in the game, and The Padres bullpen has dominated the Dodgers offense. It almost seems like they’re complacent. I can’t figure it out. The Dodgers defeated the Padres all season long, and of course, when it matters the most, the Dodgers fold.
The 111-win Dodgers may put up the worst postseason performance by a team with that many regular season wins. They would be the first team to lose the Division Series. Last season, the Dodgers lost to the 88-win Braves; now they’re on the brink of losing to the 89-win Padres.
The atmosphere at Petco Park was unlike any other, and now it will be much turnt up for tomorrow. The Dodgers will rely on Tyler Anderson, who was a late signing. Anderson had a career year with the Dodgers and earned his first All-Star nod. The left-hander went 15-5 and posted a 2.57 ERA. Anderson could pitch a scoreless outing, but why will that matter if the offense can’t do anything?
It won’t be easy for the Dodgers. They will face Joe Musgrove, who posted a 2.93 ERA this season. In a decisive Game Three in the Wild Card series against the Mets, Musgrove went seven innings and only allowed one hit. So yeah no easy task.
The Dodger season comes down tomorrow. Either the offense wakes up, or it’s a wrap for 2022. It ain’t over til it’s over.