When you look at the box score from Monday night’s crucial game between the National League West first-place San Francisco Giants and the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers, the thing that immediately jumps out at you are the three Dodgers solo home runs accounting for all three of their runs, and understandably so. In fact, all five runs scored by both teams on the night were the result of solo home runs.

But when you dig deeper into the box score, you will quickly find that the eight strikeouts by Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer played a major – if not the major – role in the Dodgers thrilling 3-2 win over their most-hated division rivals.

Oh sure, the Dodgers would not have won game-1 of the brief two-game series were it not for the back-to-back home runs by Dodgers superstar right fielder Mookie Betts and soon-to-be All-Star first baseman Max Muncy to lead off the bottom of the first inning, and even more so for catcher Will Smith‘s solo blast in the bottom of the fourth for their third – and final – run of the game. But Bauer working himself into and then out of several jams proved to be the difference between a W and an L.

“I don’t feel I was particularly effective, but we got a win and that’s all that matters,” Bauer told reporters after his 6.0 innings pitched on Monday night in which he allowed two runs on eight hits with one walk and the aforementioned eight strikeouts to earn his eighth win of the season.

Digging even deeper into that box score, you will find that it was the North Hollywood, CA native’s and 2011 first-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of UCLA eighth and final strikeout against the final batter he would face that was his biggest strikeout of the night.

After a solo home run by Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford to lead off the top of the sixth inning, Bauer immediately gave up a double to Giants third baseman Wilmer Flores, who went 4-for-4 on the night. With no outs and the tying run on second, Bauer struck out Giants center fielder Steven Duggar and got second baseman Donovan Solano to ground out to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner. Bauer then got Giants pinch-hitter Darin Ruf to strike out swinging on five pitches to strand Flores – and the tying run – at second base.

Then again and as noted above, Bauer’s not-particularly-effective effective outing – and win – indeed would not have happened without Smith’s 377-foot shot to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth, so there’s that.

Regardless, eight proved to be enough for Trevor Bauer on Monday night to move the Dodgers to within 2.5 games of their fiercest division rivals, and how can you not love that.

Worthy of note, Dodgers right-handed closer Kenley Jansen was flawless on Monday night, retiring the Giants in order in the top of the ninth to record his 19th save of the season, needing only 11 pitches to do so.

Play Ball!

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