In a game that went past most of our bedtimes the Dodgers played some good playoff baseball to get by the Giants. The game that was originally scheduled to start at 5:30 got bumped to an 8:00 o'clock first-pitch because some kids wanted to have a baseball practice. Imagine that - kids taking priority over us adults! With vision and drowsiness a factor, Jimmy T took the mound for the #4 seed Dodgers.
The #5 seed Giants came out swinging. Cortese singled and stole 2B. An opposite field line drive by Llera plated the first run but a sweet 6 - 4 -3 double play ended the inning.
The Dodgers were unable to score in the 1st but put up a four-spot in the 2nd. Callahan led off with a single and a stolen base. Burns followed with a line-drive double. Coletta was hit by a pitch and an E-5 loaded the bases. A single by Bradley scored Burns and a dribbler by Jiampeti brought Coletta home. A wild pitch to that deep backstop allowed Gougler to score an important run. The sense that the Dodgers may have taken control of the game didn't last long.
The Giants led off the top of the 3rd with consecutive singles by Lounello, Scuteri and McCarthy. Jimmy T was able to strike out the Giants' dangerous #3 hitter and we were in a position to limit the damage. Unfortunately, playing under the lights contributed to a couple of Dodgers errors and three Giants scurried home. Fortunately, another 6 - 4 -3 DP shut the inning down. Game tied at 4.
Pat Alston responded with a single and Callahan walked. Burns placed a nice sac bunt and the Dodgers were back in business. A long sac fly by Coletta scored Alston. Then the old 1st and 3rd - run 1/2 way to 2B - get in a run down - Callahan scores from 3rd play gave the Dodgers a 6 - 4 lead. The Dodgers added to that lead in the 4th when Ball (I) and Staulters singled, a passed ball allowed the runners to advance and a sac fly allowed (shared position) Jiampeti to score. A Giants error scored Staulters to give the Dodgers an 8 - 4 cushion. Cushion?
The Giants tightened the contest when Cortese reached on an error and Llera walked. A groundout to1B advanced the runners and a groundout to 2B scored Cortese. 8 - 5.
The Dodgers got that run back in the bottom of the 5th. Coletta scorched a double to left, advanced to 3rd on a passed ball and scored on an infield error. 9 - 5 The Giants were not done.
Bonnano and Parry walked and advanced on a comebacker to Callahan on the bump. Scuteri stroked an opposite field double to left and it was a two-run game.
Again, the Dodgers would respond. Trinchillo walked and stole 2B. Jimmy T - pinch hitting for an injured Lane - laid down a two-strike sac bunt that put Trinchillo on 3B. Callahan then helped his cause by ripping an RBI single to left. 10 - 7 Dodgers.
Three outs to go.... Coletta made a sliding catch of a rope off the bat of Llera. A groundout by their cleanup hitter should have taken the wind out of the Giants sails but singles by Maguire and Phillips brought the Tying run to the plate. Callahan was able to induce a pop-up back to the mound and at 10:45 ended the game.
The Giants are a good group of guys to play against but a tough team to beat. We hope to see our NL West rivals next season. The Dodgers return to the Final Four where we will face the winner of the #1 Cubs vs #8 Pirates match-up. Happy to be there.
