October 19th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Following the Dodgers crucial 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game-6 of the 2020 National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX on Saturday night to tie the best-of-seven series at three games apiece, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked if he had decided who his Game-7 starter – or ‘opener’ – would be. Whether he was playing coy or not we may never know, but his answer was clear … as mud.
“We’re still talking through it,” the Dodger skipper answered. “We’ve got some good names available, but as far as how we deploy these guys, we haven’t figured it out yet.”
Needless to say, it came as a bit of a surprise when it was announced on Sunday morning that 23-year-old rookie right-hander Dustin May would start the single most important game of the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season for the Dodgers.
It did not go well for the young Justin, TX native and Dodgers third-round draft pick in 2016 out of Northwest High School in Justin. In fact, he walked the first two batters he faced … on eight pitches. Although May’s ninth pitch was a strike, it was also hit to left field by Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna for an RBI single to give the Braves a (very) early 1-0 lead and put runners at first and second with no outs.
To his credit and undoubtedly under tremendous pressure, May escaped the inning without further damage with a strikeout and inducing a huge 6-4-3 double play – a major accomplishment by any standard. May had allowed one run on one hit with two walks and one strikeout on 18 pitches.
May was replaced in the second inning by 26-year-old Dodgers right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who Roberts had said on Saturday would “take down a good bit of” the series finale.
He did not.
Instead, the Vacaville, CA native allowed two runs on two hits, including a solo home run by Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, and lasted only two innings. He left with the Braves leading 3-2, following a huge two-run single by Dodgers catcher Will Smith in the bottom of the third.
Right-hander Blake Treinen was called upon next by Roberts. The 32-year-old Wichita, KS native pitched a perfect fourth and fifth innings, as did 22-year-old Calabozo, Venezuela native rookie right-hander Brusdar Graterol in the sixth.
And then came 24-year-old Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías, who was nothing short of sensational.
All the Culiacan, Mexico native did was pitch a perfect three innings, as in no runs or hits, to the nine Braves batters he faced.
(Video capture courtesy of Fox Sports)
But what made Urías’ performance in the series finale even more impressive is that he had made a total of 101 pitches (67 strikes) four days earlier in Game-3 of the NLCS.
“Julio is very talented, very smart and he’s very tough,” Roberts would later tell reporters. “We’ve kind of handled him over the last four years with kid gloves; put him in different roles, some that he hasn’t really liked and appreciated, which I totally get. But he just wants to pitch, compete and help the Dodgers win. Tonight, it was his moment. I wanted him to finish that game.”
Finish the game he did, after a game-winning solo home run to right field by reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger in the bottom of the seventh to send the Dodgers to the 2020 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays with the 4-3 Dodgers win.
It would be criminal not to mention two sensational defensive plays the World-Series-bound Dodgers made on Sunday night.
In the top of the fifth inning and for the second time in as many nights, Dodgers right fielder and future Hall of Famer Mookie Betts made an absolutely spectacular leaping catch to rob Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman of a sure home run that would have given Atlanta a (then) 4-2 lead.
(Video capture courtesy of Fox Sports)
But Betts wasn’t the only Dodger to make a spectacular defensive play on Sunday.
With no outs and runners on second and third in the top of the fourth inning, Braves left fielder Nick Markakis ripped a hard grounder to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who grabbed the hot smash and immediately fired it home to Smith. Swanson, who understandably was running on contact, got caught in a rundown between third and home and tagged out by Turner, who immediately turned and fired a dart to Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, who was covering third, and Seager tagged out Braves third baseman Austin Riley, who unwittingly tried to advance on the play. The end result was a rare 5-2-5-6 double play.
But when all was said and done, the night belonged to Julio Urías.
(Video capture courtesy of Fox Sports)
Oro Urías.
Urías Gold.
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Posted in 
It was 5-2-5-6 on the double play.
So proud of this team, coming together when it mattered the most.
This could be a major turning point, career-wise, for Urias. Solid performance.
One must mention Kike Hernandez and Cody Bellinger, both crushing MONSTER home runs, the former who’s ball pounded the ribbon board with such force it sounded like a gunshot through my TV. Bellinger was like, “anything you can do I can do better,” sending his ball into orbit and sealing the Dodgers trip to the World Series.
I said the following all along.
Had to keep and go with A Barnes and Muncy.
I told Old Brooklyn when he feared the Padres, not to worry we got this.
Then when we were down 3-1 to the Braves I said win game 5 and we come back and win this.
I said to my wife Sunday morning the headline in the last times will be
Dodgers win game 7 and Kershaw didn’t pitch.
World Series I think Dodgers in 5.
Close games but Dodgers just too much offense.
When the deficit was 1-3, I began to take it one game at a time. When it ended, it ended. They should give you an award for being so confident.
Halelulia !!! Dodgers N.L. Champs AGAIN!!!!
I think last night was a turning point in Urias’ career. He dominated a very good hitting Braves team, and moved from injured prospect to a star pitcher.