The 2021 National League Wild Card Game will forever be remembered for the dramatic – and epic – walk-off two-run home run by Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Taylor’s blast sent the sold-out Dodger Stadium crowd of 53,193 into an absolute frenzy and the Dodgers into the 2021 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants.

It was the first walk-off home run in a winner-take-all postseason game since Toronto Blue jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion did so in the 2016 Wild Card off of Baltimore Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Taylor also became only the second player in MLB history to hit a walk-off homer in a winner-take-all postseason game as a non-starter, having entered the game as a defensive replacement for AJ Pollock in the top of the seventh. The other was New York Yankees third baseman Aaron Boone, who had entered Game-7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the seventh inning and remained in the game at third base as a defensive replacement for Enrique Wilson. Boone hit a walk-off solo home run off of Red Sox right-hander Tim Wakefield, also in the bottom of the 11th.

Both Cardinals manager Mike Shildt and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters during their respective pregame pressers that baseball fans at Dodger Stadium or watching on television “were in for a great game.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

Prior to Taylor’s game-winning two-run blast, the Cardinals had managed only one run on five hits and the Dodgers only one run on six hits; a testament to the outstanding starting pitching by Cardinals future Hall of Fame right-hander Adam Wainwright and Dodgers future Hall of Fame right-hander Max Scherzer.

“We came in here and made them real nervous,” Wainwright said postgame. “We had guys on base all day long. We worked one of the best pitchers of all time, got him out early. But their bullpen did a great job. We kept the pressure on. Kudos to those pitchers over there. They made great pitches time after time after time.”

That “…their bullpen did a great job” is an understatement.

After chasing Scherzer with one out in the top of the fifth inning, Messrs. Joe Kelly, Brusdar Graterol, Blake Treinen, Corey Knebel, and Kenley Jansen allowed no runs and only two hits in their combined 4.2 innings of relief, including Kelly striking out two with runners on second and third in the top of the fifth, and Jansen striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth for the save.

“They have been our backbone all year long,” Justin Turner said of the bullpen, which ranked second in MLB with a 3.16 ERA this season. “And for them to go out and give us four-plus shutout innings and give the offense a chance to keep coming up and take a big swing, you can’t say enough about those guys.”

“I trust those guys, the pitching staff, the run prevention group, front office as far as information,” Roberts said of his pitching staff. “It’s a collective effort as far as trying to put those guys in the best position to have success, and ultimately the players have got to make pitches and make plays, and they’ve done that time and time again.”

As for Taylor’s game-winning home run, he was both humbled and flattered by the love he received from the thunderous Dodger Stadium crowd and his teammates.

“I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason,” Taylor said postgame. “There’s highs and lows. Everything I’ve been through, all the struggles, the successes, everything has brought me to this point. I think this is right where I’m supposed to be.

“These are the types of moments that you dream about and live for. To be able to look back on this for the rest of my life, I just feel fortunate that I was able to come through in that spot,” he added.

We will look back on it for the rest of our lives as well, Chris.

…and thank you!

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *