When 25-year-old Dodgers left-hander Justin Bruihl entered Sunday afternoon’s game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Dodgers clinging to a 4-3 lead, the game had already passed the four-hour mark due to on-again/off-again rain in the Bay Area. But if the hard-throwing southpaw from nearby Petaluma, CA has shown us anything in his (now) 21.2 innings pitched thus far this season, it’s that he has ice water in his veins.

The Giants had tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia blew his second save of the season. When the Dodgers and Giants each failed to score in the ninth inning, the already painfully long game went into extras.

The Dodgers added a run in their half of the 10th on (yet another) clutch RBI double by right fielder Mookie Betts with one out, to score placed-runner Cody Bellinger from second base.

After Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner lined out to right for the second out, Giants manager Gabe Kapler (understandably) had right-hander John Brebbia intentionally walk very hot-hitting Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman.

But what Kapler wasn’t counting on was Giants left-hander Thomas Szapucki unintentionally walking Dodgers designated hitter Justin Turner to load the bases. Szapucki then unintentionally walked Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy – on five pitches – to make it 4-2 Dodgers. It was Muncy’s team-leading 80th free pass of the season and brought in Betts from third base.

And then things got real interesting.

In the bottom half of the 10th and with Giants right fielder Heliot Ramos the placed-runner on second base, Dodgers right-hander Andre Jackson walked Giants shortstop Thairo Estrada to put runners on first and second with no outs. The pair moved to third and second respectively when former Dodger Joc Pederson flied out to Betts in right field for the first out of the inning. Ramos then scored when Giants second baseman (and longtime Dodgers nemesis) Wilmer Flores singled to right to make it 4-3 Dodgers. Jackson then struck out Giants first baseman J.D. Davis for the second out of the inning.

With the tying run on third and the winning run on first, Jackson walked always-dangerous Giants third baseman Evan Longoria to load the bases with two outs and Giants left fielder LaMonte Wade Jr. stepping to the plate.

Enter Justin Bruihl and his ice-water veins.

On a 3-2 count and on the seventh pitch of what was arguably the biggest moment of his young career, Bruihl got Wade Jr. to hit a grounder to Freeman, who then tossed to Bruihl covering first base for the game-ending 3-1 put out.

In the visiting clubhouse immediately following the Dodgers 101st win of the season to complete a three-game sweep of their eternal division rivals, Bruil’s teammates showered him with beer, ketchup, milk, and “…a bunch of other stuff,” Bruihl told reporters. “But I got a hot shower after though, so we’re good,” he added with a laugh.

Well done, JB!

Play Ball!

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