SAN FRANCISCO — A cob-webbed skeleton lying on the porch in Game 1, the Dodgers’ offense sprang to life in Game 2.
Five of the Dodgers’ seven runs were driven in by the bottom three hitters in their lineup as they evened the NL Division Series at one game apiece with a 9-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night at Oracle Park.
Held to five hits in a Game 1 shutout, the Dodgers had as many for extra bases (four doubles and a home run) in their total of 11 hits Saturday
By splitting the two games in San Francisco, the Dodgers have essentially turned their best-of-five NLDS into a best-of-three – with two of those games at Dodger Stadium (Monday and Tuesday).
With the artist formerly known as Cody Bellinger, a postseason-averse AJ Pollock and the pitcher’s spot, the bottom third of the Dodgers’ lineup looked like the place rallies would go to die.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had acknowledged the need to find offense with an injured Max Muncy subtracted from the lineup. His choice to spark some life in the bottom half of the order? Chris Taylor, who finished the season in a deep 7-for-65 slump.
But Taylor had earned the start with his walk-off home run in the wild-card game and finally got it in Game 2.
He doubled in his first at-bat with one out in the second inning but Bellinger followed by striking out for the third time in his first four at-bats in this series.
That brought up Pollock – hitless in his first six postseason at-bats this year with three strikeouts. With first base open, two outs and the pitcher’s spot on deck, the Giants opted to intentionally walk Pollock and pitch to Julio Urias.
Urias had shown competence at the plate – by pitcher’s standards – with a .203 average and nine RBIs this season. He slapped a 1-and-1 splitter from Giants starter Kevin Gausman into right field for a two-out RBI single, driving in the Dodgers’ first run of the NLDS.
Last year’s run to the World Series title was fueled by two-out hits (they set a record for two-out runs in any postseason) and Mookie Betts delivered another, driving in a second run with a two-out single.
But the Dodgers offense slipped back into neutral. Gausman retired the next 10 Dodgers and the Giants cut the lead in half, scratching out a run against Urias on a walk, a single and two fly balls in the bottom of the second.
Trea Turner brought the Dodgers back to life with a leadoff double in the sixth inning and walks loaded the bases with one out for Bellinger.
Before the game, Bellinger was asked in the interview room how he was handling all the questions about his dreadfully unproductive season at the plate.
“How I’m doing it right now,” he said affably. “I get asked the question and I answer it.”
A better answer was the double he ripped on one hop off the center field wall on the first pitch he saw from Giants reliever Dominic Leone, driving in two runs.
That brought up Pollock (who was now 0 for 7 with four strikeouts this postseason) – again with first base open. He wasn’t walked this time and lined his own two-run double into the left-field corner to make it 6-1.
The Giants answered back with a run against Joe Kelly in the sixth but Betts made sure it wasn’t more with a defensive play that also harked back to last October’s pandemic “bubble” days in Texas.
With runners at first and third, Brandon Crawford dropped a two-out single in front of Betts who fielded it on one hop as he spun and fired to third baseman Justin Turner. Wilmer Flores was out trying to go from first to third and the inning ended there.
The Dodgers put the game away with a three-run eighth that featured Will Smith’s leadoff home run (on the first pitch of the inning), another RBI from the pitcher’s spot (pinch-hitter Matt Beaty’s RBI single) and another two-out RBI (on Corey Seager’s single).
4 runs on 2 pitches.
The complexion of this one changed QUICKLY. pic.twitter.com/IraiejsmyY
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2021
Julio Urías helps his own cause! #PitchersWhoRake pic.twitter.com/2rgUTmEUbc
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2021
Mookie!
The @Dodgers‘ bats are breaking out. pic.twitter.com/XQ0RDAHjO8
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2021