Any way you slice it, the Dodgers ‘Player of the Game’ in Saturday night’s exciting 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium boils down to three guys:

1. Dodgers left-hander and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, who was absolutely brilliant in his third start of the season;
2. Dodgers left-fielder Joc Pederson, who slugged what would prove to be the game-winning two-run triple off of Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove, or (brace yourselves);
3. Dodgers right-handed reliever Pedro Baez, who did what no one thought possible when he entered the game in the top of the eighth inning with the bases loaded and no outs … he got out of the inning without allowing a run.

Kershaw tossed seven magnificent Kershaw-like innings, allowing only one run on four hits, while walking none and striking out eight. He made a total of 101 pitches of which 67 were strikes to go 1-0 on the season, while lowering his ERA to a Kershaw-like 2.25.

As for Pederson, all he did was step up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 1-1, left fielder Alex Verdugo on third, catcher Austin Barnes on first with two outs. But here’s the kicker. Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove was at 98 pitches and Pederson flat out owns him. Yet Pirates manager Clint Hurdle elected to have Musgrove pitch to Pederson, even though he had left-hander Francisco Liriano warmed and ready in his bullpen.

On Musgrove’s first pitch to the Dodgers left fielder and his 99th of the night, Pederson roped it into the right-center field gap and to the wall for a two-run triple to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. One has to believe that Clint Hurdle is going to have nightmares over that one for awhile.

And now the grand finale.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts brought in left-hander Caleb Ferguson to replace Kershaw. It was a disaster. Ferguson walked Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker, gave up a single to pinch-hitter Gregory Polanco, and walked second baseman Adam Frazier to load the bases with no outs. Roberts couldn’t get out of the Dodgers dugout fast enough to pull Ferguson and replaced him with Baez, who has developed a reputation for blowing games.

Pedro Baez did not blow the game. In fact, he was absolutely brilliant in what former Dodger great and current broadcaster Orel Hershiser called “an impossible situation.”

Baez got Cabrera to pop out to Chris Taylor in short left field, got pinch-hitter Colin Moran to pop out to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (who actually dropped the ball but with the infield fly rule in play), and then struck out Pirates first baseman Josh Bell swinging.

“He’s really grown. You can’t get into a bigger spot that that,” Roberts told reporters after the game. “Obviously, that was the difference in the game tonight. Over the last couple of years, I’ve put him into some of the toughest leverage situations of any reliever. He’s overcome a lot. He’s a guy we’ve counted on for the last three years. This year he’s really dialed into who he is as a Major League pitcher. No moment is too big for Pedro.

“Things at times the last couple of years have gone south, but he never made excuses. He never ran from big spots. And I think with players, when things don’t go well, you really see how they respond. I’ve learned a lot watching how he’s responded to adversity and success. He’s remained very consistent. You root for guys like that and count on guys like that. It’s no surprise for the success he’s had.”

Like him or not, believe in him or not, it is impossible to dispute Roberts’ assessment of the 26-year-old Bani, Dominican Republic native and six-year veteran right-hander with ice water in his veins.

“The fans always have an opinion, that’s why you have to block them out whether it’s going well or whether it’s not going well,” Baez said of his fifth – and biggest – hold of the season. “You understand they are fans and they’re going to think what they want.”

It’s probably safe to say that they think they have a new eighth-inning guy instead of the guy with a 1-2 record and ridiculous 9.00 ERA who the Dodgers are on the hook for $25 million over the next three years.

So there you go. Who’s your Player of the Game?

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