A word of caution: If you are faint of heart or cannot handle high-pressure situations, do not watch Dodgers baseball right now; doing so can be extremely hazardous to your health. If you don’t think so, simply watch a replay of the final out of Tuesday night’s Dodgers-Padres game at Petco Park in San Diego. It was arguably the single most intense at-bat in recent years.

With two outs and the bases loaded and the Dodgers clinging to a 3-1 lead, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, who has had his struggles of late, pitched himself into a 2-2 count against Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who is the proud owner of one of the seven grand slams hit by the Padres this season.

On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, a 91.8-mph cutter, Jansen got Cronenworth to chase it for the final out of the inning and game, to again put the Dodgers 2.5 games ahead of the Friars in the National League West standings, with 11 games remaining in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 regular season.

“It wasn’t easy. They’re locked in, and I try to be locked in, too,” Jansen told SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo moments after securing the Dodgers win. “They’re hungry; they want to win a division from us. I tried to bounce back and get back on track. None of that stuff in the past defines our season. I don’t care about stats or any of that. The only goal is to win a championship.”

“He wants to be the Kenley Jansen that we all know and love,” Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said of Jansen after the game and after his 3-for-4 night in his first game back from the injured list for a strained left hamstring. “We just had a conversation in the clubhouse, understanding that it’s not going to go perfect every time, but every time you get on the mound, have that conviction and be that closer that we know you are and good things will happen, and he did a good job of that tonight.”

“It’s good to see him find it somehow and help us win a baseball game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of his closer. “He picked us up, he really did. I know what he can do. I’ve seen it. I trust him with the baseball.”

The Dodgers complete their three-game series and final game of the regular season with the second place Padres on Wednesday, which will determine the series winner. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. PT.

Play Ball!

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