Friday’s 8-5 Dodgers win over the visiting National League Central first place Milwaukee Brewers in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 49,885 will forever be remembered as ‘The Will Smith Game,’ and rightfully so. All the 29-year-old Louisville, KY native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2016 out of the University of Louisville did was homer three times, walk twice, drive in three of those eight Dodgers runs, and reach base in all five of his plate appearances. It was a career night for the guy affectionately known as ‘America’s Catcher’ for his participation in the 2020 World Baseball Classic.

But in addition to Smith’s three-home-run night, the first of his thus far six-year MLB career, and his huge eighth-inning/five-pitch unintentional/intentional walk, there were a couple of other heroes in what Smith himself called “…a team win.”

First on that list of other heroes is 24-year-old Dodgers left fielder Miguel Vargas, who led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single to left, this after a devastating fourth-inning grand slam by Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins that turned a 2-1 Dodgers lead into a 5-2 deficit with one swing of the bat.

Vargas’ single was followed by a productive ground out by Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux to advance Vargas to seond. This was followed by a walk of Dodgers third baseman Chris Taylor, putting runners at first and second for Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who advanced Vargas to third and Taylor to second on a productive ground out to the aforementioned Hoskins for the second out of the inning.

Then came that huge unintentional/intentional walk to Smith, bringing Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. As he has done countless times over his 15-year future Hall of Fame career, the (now) eight-time All-Star lined a single up the middle, scoring Vargas and Taylor to make it 7-5 Dodgers.

“His ability to not have any moment get too big. He just grinds and competes and he has a way to put the ball in play and wanting to be that guy,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Freeman postgame. “He’s done it for us time and time again.”

Freeman’s two-run single was followed by a two-out double to left by Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández, scoring Smith to make it 8-5 Dodgers, the eventual final score.

“It was a big win, a big team win right there,” Smith told SportsNet LA’s David Vassegh postgame. “Back at it tomorrow, get back in there, just keep working,” added the always-humble Dodgers backstop.

Well done, Will … et al.

Play Ball!

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