Dodgers’ bullpen woes continue in loss
ARLINGTON, Texas — Every October for the past seven, since the Los Angeles Dodgers started winning the National League West every year in 2013, the ninth inning belonged to Kenley Jansen. But this year is different. Jansen isn’t the Dodgers’ closer anymore. His recent struggles have earned him a demotion, whether the Dodgers publicly acknowledge it or not. They’ve decided giving him the ball with the game on the line doesn’t give them the best chance to win the World Series.
Instead, the high-leverage late innings will be distributed on a caseby-case basis. On Monday, manager Dave Roberts chose Blake Treinen to pitch the ninth inning with the score tied against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Disaster struck five pitches into the outing. Austin Riley, Atlanta’s No. 9 hitter, launched a 98-mph sinker 448 feet over the left-center wall at Globe Life Field to ignite many of the first fans to attend a Major League Baseball game in 2020.
The Braves tacked on another run before Treinen was removed and two more on Ozzie Albies’ homer off Jake McGee to complete a 5-1 win. The Braves improved to 6-0 in the postseason. The Dodgers suffered their first loss. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. CDT.
The gates to a Major League Baseball game opened to fans for the first time since March at 5 p.m. local time. The people, the first to attend an event inside this new $1.2 billion building, entered through doors beyond the left-field wall.
Several dozen lined the first row of outfield seats as the Braves took batting practice. They were eager to catch a BP home run and seemingly not worried about catching COVID19. They tested MLB’s rule mandating fans not to come within 20 feet of any players. A few had players shagging balls throw them one. Most wore masks. Some didn’t. Others didn’t wear them properly. Social distancing was treated as optional.
Those fans dispersed when the
Braves finished their session. The first six rows of seats in those sections were then warded off. They scattered to the crowded concourse and settled into their pods spaced out throughout the ballpark. MLB announced an attendance of 10,700 and said every ticket for the game was sold.
Braves fans were louder, though a strong contingent of Dodgers fans showed up. Some cheered for starting pitcher Walker Buehler as he walked out to the bullpen before the game to warm up. They showered him with the first chants of the 2020 season.