Technically, Monday’s Nationally League West Division tiebreaker game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies was considered part of the 2018 regular season, including all statistics and / or any personal accomplishments, and was not considered a playoff game. But for the 47,816 on hand at Dodger Stadium and the hundreds of thousands (or more) watching on television and listening on radio, it was, in every sense of the word, a playoff game – less the bunting, pomp and circumstance.

The reason, of course, is because the losing team would still make the postseason, albeit as a Wild Card team.

The Rockies are the Wild Card team.

Still not convinced that Monday’s 5-2 Dodgers win over the Rockies wasn’t a playoff game or that it wasn’t a very big deal for the Dodgers? Check out these two photos by the great Jon SooHoo:

This was as much a playoff game as any playoff game.

Even though Game-163 (as it was affectionately called) was not part of the actual 11 wins required to be crowned 2018 World Series Champion, it was historic in its own right. It gave the Dodgers their unprecedented sixth consecutive National League West division title and guaranteed them the first step to (hopefully) punch their ticket to their second consecutive National League pennant and (hopefully) to their second consecutive World Series appearance. In other words, winning Game-163 was huge for Dave Roberts’ team.

“What I see now is the same as I saw back then,” the Dodgers skipper said, when asked to compare his team now to the one 163 games earlier. “With all the adversity we put ourselves in, we knew we could overcome. I never wavered from believing that and they never wavered either. It’s a long season. That’s why you play 163.”

Yes, he actually said 163 and not 162.

If you had to sum up Game-163 in a nutshell, you could do so with three names: Walker Buehler, Cody Bellinger, and Max Muncy; three names that summed a good many of the other 162 games during the Dodgers remarkable 2018 regular season.

All Buehler did was throw a one-hitter – a one-out single by Rockies All-Star center fielder Charlie Blackmon in the top of the sixth inning – in his absolutely brilliant 6.2 innings of work, while walking and striking out three.

“I don’t know how to say this politically correct, but he’s got big balls,” a champagne-drenched Clayton Kershaw said of his co-ace.

Just how good was 24-year-old Walker Buehler in Game-163? He was Clayton Kershaw-good.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

“This is the loudest I’ve ever seen this place,” Buehler told reporters after the game. “We need this the whole [expletive] playoffs. I apologize to all the children, all the parents, all listening ears, but I’m from Kentucky. We don’t really hold back when we’re a little excited.”

…or a lot excited.

That “loudest” that Buehler saw came from the aforementioned 47,816 at Monday’s impromptu afternoon tiebreaker. This is a very significant number, as it brought the Dodgers season attendance total to 3,857,500 to set a new franchise record. (Remember that statistics and / or any personal accomplishments thing).

As for those second two names, Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger got the offensive party started in the bottom of the fourth inning with a towering 376-foot no-doubter into the Right Field Pavilion. It was the 23-year-old 2017 NL Rookie of the Year’s 25th home run of the season, tied for second most on the team with fellow outfielder Joc Pederson.

Bellinger’s fourth-inning blast into the Right Field Pavilion was as high (or higher) than it was long. It made the already frenzied Dodger Stadium crowd even more so. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Not to be outdone, the Dodgers leading home run hitter, 28-year-old utility infielder Max Muncy, hit what would prove the game-winning home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, a monster opposite-field shot into the Left Field Pavilion that traveled 421 feet. It was the Midland Texas native’s team-best 35th home run of the season and it sent the crowd into an early pre-celebration mood.

Muncy’s fifth-inning / two-run opposite field blast proved to be the eventual game-winner on Monday afternoon.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

And then, as if to add insult to injury to a clearly overpowered Rockies team, Buehler drove in the Dodgers fifth and final run of the day with an unexpected (at least by the Rockies) RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to make it a then 5-0 ballgame.

Buehler’s fifth-inning RBI single put a knife through the heart of Bud Black’s Rockies team.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But just as they had done all season long, the Rockies weren’t about to just roll over and die without a fight. In fact, they even made things a bit anxious for Dodger fans.

Perennial Dodgers nemesis Nolan Arenado led off the top of the ninth inning with a first-pitch long-distance solo home run to left off of Dodgers All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to finally get the Rockies on the board. This was followed by another solo shot to left-center by always-dangerous Trevor Story on a 3-2 count. Just like that, the once 5-0 apparent rout became a 5-2 ballgame with no outs. Fortunately, Jansen settled in and retired the side, getting equally dangerous Carlos Gonzalez to ground out and struck out Ian Desmond and Gerardo Parra to end the game and the regular season.

Asked what happened in the ninth inning by a short-sighted reporter, Jansen poignantly answered “What happened in the 9th? We won the division, that’s what happened.”

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and catcher Yasmani Grandal share a hug after sealing the deal on Monday afternoon. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Boom.