It took about 10 minutes into Sunday’s series finale between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park to realize that something special was happening.

In the bottom of the first inning after the Dodgers went quickly in the top half, 24-year-old Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías retired the Giants in order … on 10 pitches. In fact, Urías would retire the first 16 batters he would face until Giants left fielder Mike Tauchman reached on an infield single off the glove of Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to end Urías bid for a perfect game and no-hitter. And even then, Urías had thrown only 69 pitches, with his team leading by a lopsided score of 11-0.

The first of those 11 Dodgers runs came in the top half of the second inning on an RBI single by Dodgers newcomer Yoshi Tsutsugo. But it was the next two runs the Dodgers would score in that frame that kept that ‘something special’ going.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Urías laced a double to right-center field to drive in the fifth and sixth runs of his six-year MLB career.

Things got even more special in the top of the third inning when Lux cleared the bases with his second grand slam home run in five days to give Urías a (then) comfortable 10-0 lead.

But Wait … There’s More! Urías would drive in another run in that third inning on a single to Giants first baseman Darin Ruf.

“It was really fun to run around the bases,” Urías told reporters through an interpreter after the game.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Urías from the game after six stellar innings and an economical 89 pitches (60 strikes), during which he allowed two runs on only three hits while walking none and striking out 10; one shy of his career-high of 11, which he set on April 4 against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

“Early on in his career, like most young pitchers, you’re really good, then you’re just OK. He just understands that he’s an elite pitcher,” Roberts said of his young lefty. “When you’re looking around at our starters, the bar is high. He’s right there with those other guys and he shows that every time he’s out on the mound.”

The Dodgers would go on to win the game by a score of 11-5 to sweep the three-game series from their longtime rivals and overtake them in the National League West standings.

With the win, Urías is now a team-best 7-1 on the season, with a team second-best 70 strikeouts behind Trevor Bauer‘s 88 and a team third-best 3.03 ERA behind Bauer’s 1.98 and Walker Buehler‘s 2.78.

The irony is that when the Dodgers rolled into town on Friday morning, the Giants were in first place in the division. After being swept by the Dodgers, they find themselves in third place behind the Padres and the Dodgers.

…and how can you not love that.

Play Ball!

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