As we all know, NLCS Game-7 was very important for Dodgers fans. In fact, it was important to baseball fans in general. It was  a win-or-go-home situation; effectively, a one game playoff that can make dreams … or shatter them.

After experiencing last year’s World Series Game-7, which I swear I will never bring up again, the anxiety levels were through the roof. I, like every other Dodger fan, had hoped that Game-6 would be the end of it, but of course, things don’t necessarily go according to what the fans want.

I wanted Game-6 of this year’s NLCS to be it for two reasons:

1. To just lessen the overall anxiety; avoid that winner-take-all / loser-goes-home thing.
2. My best friend’s birthday was the same day as Game-7 and her party started while the game was still in progress. (She’s obviously a very dear friend).

My hope was that I would be able to get ready close to the time of the party starting. Instead, I was rushing around throughout the day to get to the party on time(ish) and watch the game and not miss any of the action.

I took care of the things that would last throughout the day while the sun was still out, even squeezing in nap since I didn’t know how late I would be out; i.e. curling my hair, making onion dip, picking out an outfit, etc.

Once the game started though, I had to get a little more strategic with things. I had the first hour of the game to sit and enjoy. I had on my outfit for the party, a Dodgers shirt and my usual jeans, but I needed to do makeup and finish up my hair, both with are chores for me.

The Christian Yelich dinger in the first put me in a sour mood, but that was quickly cured by Cody Bellinger’s two run shot (how about that Manny Machado bunt, too!). I jumped up from the couch and started screaming. Yasiel Puig’s double got me fired up even more, since there were no outs. We all know how that went though.

Thank. You. Belly!
(Video courtesy of Fox Sports).

I got nervous again in the bottom of the second, but Walker Buehler turned things around and kept the Brew Crew off the board.

I said some choice words when Josh Harder came in, but the guys made contact a few times, so I was overall fairly happy with their performance against arguably one of the most terrifying relief pitchers I’ve ever seen.

At six, I took the opportunity of a commercial break and went and got everything I would need to get ready from my bathroom and bedroom. Each time the game would come back on, I would race from the bathroom to the living room.

I stayed in the bathroom when the game came back on at one point as I was running low on time, but I did manage to get back out in front of the screen to see Julio Urias come in to pitch which lead to that run saving catch in the bottom of the fifth by Chris Taylor. I could watch that for days and not get bored. I firmly believe that made a huge difference in the outcome of the game, as did Puig’s three-run shot in the top of the sixth, obviously.

I think I ended up leaving my house right after that and was prepared to follow along on the radio on my drive to my friend’s. Every time I switched it on, I kept getting commercials, so I turned it to some motivational music and hit the road.

Nothing really happened while I was on the road, but as soon as I got to her house, I made sure to turn the game back on my phone as quickly as I could to see the top of the eighth. I stuffed some pizza and soda in my face during the commercial break between innings and was ready to go as Kenley Jansen returned to the mound for a quick bottom of the inning.

I appreciated Puig’s single and Taylor’s double but a that point, I just wanted the game to be over, so I could shout from the rooftops that we were going to the World Series again. But before that could happen, it was cake and singing time for the birthday girl.

Once Clayton Kershaw came in from the bullpen to get the final three outs, I was unable to stand still. As I helped prepare the cake, I followed the action on my phone’s screen, getting more and more excited with each out.

That final strikeout was probably one of the best I’ve seen. So much energy from the Boys in Blue as they rushed the field.

Your 2018 National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers!
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

As the Dodgers celebrated their second consecutive National League Championship at Miller Park, I celebrated it too … just in slightly different fashion. They had champagne and beer, while I was thoroughly enjoying birthday cake and Mountain Dew.

Go Dodgers!