Bellinger’s blast wins the pennant
To say that any swing is the one that wins a ball game is an inaccurate statement. Every game has many pitches, plays, and at-bats that ultimately decide the outcome of the game. Yet, on Sunday night, we saw Cody Bellinger put the dagger in the game and the series with a mammoth homer. Cody Bellinger got all of Chris Martin’s eighth pitch of the at-bat that was begging to be crushed. The ball left over the middle of the plate was pulled out of the park, giving the Dodgers the lead, and inevitable win.
Cody Bellinger is going to be remembered as the hero of this game, and rightfully so. Chris Martin will likely be seen as the scapegoat who cost Atlanta the game. He left the pitch right in Bellinger’s swing spot to power homers. The postseason is where the hitting is at its peak. Every pitcher has to not only be accurate with their pitches but also paint the corners. No pitch can be left in the heart of the plate. With all this being said, Game Seven had more than enough moments that led to the Dodger victory and a game to remember.
The game as a microcosm of the series
The Braves had a 3-1 series lead and nobody batted an eye. The Braves looked dominant in a few of their wins. There was no confidence among the experts that the Braves would closeout. The city of Atlanta is known for failure in sports, the list of chokes are endless. The Braves had multiple points in this game that they could have shut the door on the Dodgers. The Braves were only a few swings or plays away from the World Series. Again, the Braves collapsed. This game looked like it was theirs for most of the night. The Braves had all the momentum, but they failed to seal the deal.
The Dodgers played this game with the same mannerisms they have played this series with. There is tense confidence that the team radiates. I know that might sound conflicting but when you look at the Dodgers it makes sense. The Dodgers play with the expectation that this season is championship or bust. They know that every game and series is theirs to lose. Yet, even when they are down, they have possessed confidence in their roster that they are never out of a game or a series. They know they are the best team in baseball and know that they should win every game. Game Seven showed us how they are aware of the weight they carry but know they can overcome it.
Braves build the lead but fail to close out
The Braves got on the board early, looking poised to control the entire game. Ronald Acuna got on base and the Braves played aggressive baseball with Acuna stealing second. The small ball continued with Marcell Ozuna slicing a sharp grounder through the teeth of the shift into to bring Acuna in for the leading run. I was convinced the Braves would continue to try to play small ball throughout the game, successfully defeating the Dodgers one run at a time.
The next inning reminded me and anyone watching that small ball was far from the minds of the Braves batters. Dansby Swanson powered a Tony Gonsolin pitch left over the heart of the plate deep into the left-field for the Braves’ second run. The Braves lived and died this season with the long ball, that wasn’t going to change in Game Seven.
The Austin Riley single in the 4th inning seemed to clinch the victory. The run batted in gave the Braves a 3-2 lead with a prepared and dealing bullpen. Unfortunately, the Riley single would be the last highlight for Atlanta on another dark night.
The two late homers flip the game and clinch the series
The Dodgers were trailing throughout the game but were never truly out of it. With two runners in scoring position, Will Smith shortened his swing to beat the shift and drive in both runs to tie the game. It’s situational hitting like Smith’s that can turn teams into World Series caliber teams when the playoffs roll around. Situational hitting is where losses become wins.
The base hit drove in two runs, but the solo shots won the game for Los Angeles. Enrique Hernandez got all of the 2-2 AJ Minter fastball that once again was left over the middle of the plate to tie the game in the 6th inning. Hernandez couldn’t have connected with the pitch any better and it instantly gave the Dodgers the momentum and confidence that they were going to drive in the game-winning run.
It was only a matter of time before the Dodgers would take their first lead of the game. The way the game shifted, it only took one more inning. Cody Bellinger worked Chris Martin to an eight-pitch of the at-bat and forced Martin to use the entirety of the strike zone. Bellinger was waiting for his moment to seize the spotlight, making the monster home run the glorifying moment in the winner-takes-all game.
What happened to the Braves? Why does this collapse hurt more?
The Braves have fallen apart in the past. Whether it’s losing 4 games in a row to the Yankees after stealing two road wins in 1996 or failing to close out a Game 4 with one out to go against the St. Louis Cardinals in last season’s NLDS. It almost seems part of a tradition that Atlanta sports teams are going to collapse. This loss seems to hurt more, why did it have to be this way?
We have to look at the poor plays from the Braves throughout the game as well as the great plays from the Dodgers. Every collapse has excellence from the opponent in order for the failure to ensue. The Braves fell apart after scoring in the fourth when they had runners in scoring position with no outs. Dansby Swanson was running on contact and a grounder to third was going to be an easy out at the plate. Unfortunately, the Braves weren’t able to manage their runners, and not only did the Dodgers catch Swanson in a rundown but also gunned down Austin Riley at third to essentially end the rally and the inning.
The situation only got worse with Mookie Betts making another highlight-reel catch to rob Freddie Freeman of a home run. Betts has been making his mark throughout the Dodgers comeback in the NLCS in the field. With the dominoes starting to fall in the Dodgers’ favor, this catch can be pointed to as another sign that the Dodgers were going to win this game.
What should we expect from the Dodgers moving forward?
This team has been the best in baseball. They have proven that this is their Championship to lose. Anything short of a World Series Championship will be a failure. The Dodgers have built from within, they have made the trades, they have made the signings, all to become the best team in baseball. With all this being said, the Rays are no easy opponent. The Tampa Bay Rays were the best team in the American League with 40 regular-season wins and possibly the best team in baseball for most of the season. I was hyped on the Rays after their Game Seven win just like I am with LA now. The Dodgers will be favored in all likelihood but only slightly in the betting lines. We should expect a thrilling series that goes six or even seven games with wins coming at a rarity.
