SATURDAY’S POSTSEASON ROUNDUP
NL Division Series Game 2 Dodgers 9, Giants 2
SAN FRANCISCO – With some mighty swings, solid pitching and defensive gems that have defined the Dodgers’ success the past decade, the defending World Series champions are headed home in prime playoff position having grabbed momentum away from the division-winning Giants.
Julio Urías shut down San Francisco and contributed an RBI single for his cause, Cody Bellinger and AJ Pollock delivered two-run doubles to break it open in the sixth, and Los Angeles pounded the Giants to even the series between baseball’s two winningest teams at one game apiece.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts declared earlier in the day, “We’re going to play this game essentially like a do or die,” and the reigning champs did just that by continuing to add on all game, including Will Smith’s leadoff homer in the eighth.
Now, NL West runner-up Los Angeles – second place despite 106 wins to the Giants’ 107 – is going to Chavez Ravine with a chance to ride this win and hand ace Max Scherzer the ball next.
“It’s a good feeling,” Roberts said. “It’s interesting how the narrative changes from game to game. Right now, it’s a three-game series, we have home-field advantage and we have Max on the mound. I like where we’re at.”
The best-of-five set shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Monday night all square, hardly a surprise considering how close these clubs played for months. The Giants edged the Dodgers for the division on the final day and took the season series 10-9 but were outscored overall 80-78.
“It’s great to win one on the road,” Dodgers star Mookie Betts said. “Julio pitched a great game. Any type of atmosphere like this, he’s going to come ready to pitch.”
Urías hit an RBI single in the second to give Los Angeles the lead, and Betts followed with a run-scoring single.
NL Division Series Game 2 Braves 3, Brewers 0
MILWAUKEE – Max Fried pitched six sharp innings and Atlanta’s bullpen held on after manager Brian Snitker’s quick hook, sending the Braves over the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday to tie their NL Division Series at a game apiece.
The Brewers brought the tying run to the plate in each of the last three innings but couldn’t get a key hit.
Austin Riley homered and Ozzie Albies hit an RBI double for the Braves, who bounced back after losing 2-1 in Game 1.
The best-of-five series heads to Atlanta for Game 3 on Monday.
Fried struck out nine, allowed three hits and didn’t walk anybody. The Brewers didn’t get a runner in scoring position until Willy Adames hit a two-out double in the sixth, and Fried responded by striking out Eduardo Escobar.
Fried had thrown 81 pitches when he was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh.
— Associated Press