Although we may not like to admit it, social media – more specifically Twitter – is a pretty good barometer of emotions when it comes to Dodger fans. If you don’t believe this, just check your timeline after a painful Dodgers loss … say, like, Friday night’s excruciating 6-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game-1 of the National League Championship Series at Miller Park.
Based on tweets during and after Friday’s game, many (most) Dodger fans wanted to burn Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal at the stake after his two costly errors and equally costly two passed balls that led to two runs … all in the same inning.
But not even 24 hours later, many, if not most, of those same Dodger fans were ecstatic when the Dodgers other catcher, Austin Barnes, drew a one out / bases loaded walk in the top of the seventh inning off of Brewers right-hander Jeremy Jeffress to pull within one run of Milwaukee and make it a 3-2 ballgame.
One inning later, in the top of the eighth, Dodgers center fielder, then left fielder, then second baseman Chris Taylor led off the frame with a slow roller to Brewers third baseman Mike Moustakas for an infield single, causing Twitter to come to life.
And then, on a 2-0 count to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who had gone a dreadful 0-for-5 with four strikeouts the night before (the first four strikeout game of his 10-year MLB career), the extremely popular heavily bearded redhead and Dodgers unofficial team captain absolutely crushed a 90.6-mph split-finger fastball off of Jeffress for a game-changing (and eventual game-winning) two run home run to deep left-center field to make it a 4-3 ballgame and final score.
Twitter exploded.
“If you’re talking about the grind, the tough conversations, the identity of our ball club, he’s probably the face,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game about his team’s best hitter during the 2018 regular season. “He personifies everything that I believe in as a baseball player, as a professional. And then you can get into the community and all that stuff. But yeah, I call him… he’s the glue for our club.”
Although his manager’s accolades are indisputable, the 33-year-old Long Beach, California native and lifelong Dodger fan was his normal humble self when asked about his NLCS Game-1 debacle and Game-2 heroics.
“Yeah, I think it’s well documented that was probably the worst game of my career offensively,” said Turner. “I wasn’t feeling good about myself last night and wasn’t happy with the results, but today was a new day and another chance to go out and win a ballgame.”
And they did.
But for as classy and respectful as @redturn2 always is, Jeremy Jeffress elected to take the classless low road about his game-losing outing that now has the best-of-seven NLCS tied at a game apiece.
“He just got lucky,” Jeffress said of his bases loaded walk to Barnes.
“He got lucky,” Jeffress added, of the meatball he served up to Turner.
Do you see a pattern here? I’m thinking denial.
But whatever it is, thank you, Jeremy … just thank you!
Worthy of mention and in furtherance of the Twitter love sent out to the Dodgers by many of their 2.08 million followers, Dodgers right-hander Pedro Báez was yet again absolutely brilliant in his 1.1 innings of relief work on Saturday; this following his equally brilliant 1.0 innings pitched on Friday.
After allowing no runs and only one hit with three strikeouts in Game-1, the 30-year-old Bani, Dominican Republic native allowed no runs or hits with one walk and one strikeout on Saturday to pick up the win.
#GreatJob @Dodgers!
Dodgers Win!!! We beat them. Yes, sooner or later they had to lose, but we beat them. It’s a brand new series, from here on it’s a 5 game series with three to play in Dodger Stadium.
Stay tuned.
Just shows how fragile home field advantage really is. Dodgers win one game in Milwaukee and now they have it.
Obviously Counsell didn’t watch last year’s World Series, where Roberts went too early and often to his bullpen and wore them out.
I had a moment of concern beginning the (I think) eighth inning. Baez seemed to be taking a long time getting the sign, then Barnes threw his hands up. I’m like “uh oh”. Then he just went about his work, just like he’s been doing lately.
I noticed Baez shake Barnes off a few times and then throw a change-up, usually for a strike. I’m really liking the new Baez.
Me too. I just hope it sticks this time. He still has time for a good career.
Could be that was a bit of acting by Barnes. Pitcher/catcher confusion X 99 MPH = nervous batter?
Just so they don’t do that enough that batters figure out that multiple shake-offs = change-up. There was a time when pitchers would shake off repeatedly just to get the batter thinking too much. I don’t know if that still do that.
Ah yes … I miss Drysdale too.