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Cody Bellinger was among the most frustrating players across the entire fantasy baseball landscape this year. A consensus top-20 pick in standard spring drafts, he slashed just .165/.240/.302 with 10 home runs, 36 RBI, three stolen bases, and 39 runs scored in 95 regular-season games.
But then arrived the full freight of “October Belli” with a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday, followed by a two-out go-ahead RBI single from Mookie Betts, as the Dodgers picked up their first win of the National League Championship Series -- a 6-5 comeback victory over the Braves in Game 3.
Bellinger’s heroic eighth-inning blast came off a high-out-of-the-zone 95.6 mph fastball from right-hander Luke Jackson. The former NL MVP was 2-for-33 on high fastballs during the 2021 regular season, and 8-for-56 on any fastball clocked higher than 95 mph. October. Belli. It was his fourth career game-tying or go-ahead hit in the eighth inning or later of a postseason game. That’s tied for fifth-most such hits in MLB postseason history, behind only Bernie Williams (6), Pete Rose (6), David Ortiz (5), and J.D. Drew (5).
Walker Buehler got the start for Los Angeles and lasted just 3 2/3 innings, exiting amid a messy top of the fourth. He couldn’t get his slider or curve working in what was the shortest of his 14 career postseason starts.
But the Dodgers struck early with a Corey Seager two-run homer off Charlie Morton in the top of the first and then fully woke up with a late and clutch charge that could suddenly flip the tide in this series.
Atlanta was leading 5-2 with only five outs to secure, so close to taking a 3-0 advantage in the best-of-seven matchup against the defending World Series champions. Freddie Freeman came to life with a 3-for-4 day, after going 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in Games 1 and 2. Adam Duvall recorded his first RBI(s) of this postseason, after leading all NL hitters in that category this summer. Morton settled in after a rough beginning and made it through five frames, and A.J. Minter and Tyler Matzek both looked sharp out of the ‘pen in the sixth and seventh.
Belli and Mookie erased all that. Kenley too. Jansen struck out the side in the top of the ninth to put the win on ice and notch his 19th career postseason save. He has faced 17 batters in the 2021 playoffs and punched out 12 of them while yielding no walks, only two hits, and no runs.[[ad:athena]]
Game 4 of the NLCS on Wednesday will feature Julio Urias, baseball’s only 20-game winner this season, against a parade of Braves relievers. That’s quite an edge for the Dodgers in the second of three games in Los Angeles.
This series has had it all so far, and we’re not even halfway through if it goes a full seven. Lead changes galore. The two walk-offs in Atlanta. And now a wild Game 3 at Dodger Stadium to add to the script. It was the 82nd time in franchise history that the Dodgers had trailed a postseason game by three runs or more in the eighth inning or later. It was the first time they earned a win in such a scenario.
ALCS: Red Sox And Astros Knotted
The drama wasn’t limited to the National League side of MLB’s playoff bracket.
Over in the American League Championship Series, the Astros earned a tighter-than-it-looks 9-2 defeat of the Red Sox in Game 4 on Tuesday night at Fenway Park to even that best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Alex Bregman kicked off the ALCS Game 4 scoring in the top of the first inning with a Green Monster-aided solo home run on a Nick Pivetta fastball. Xander Bogaerts promptly answered with a two-run moonshot out to Lansdowne Street in the bottom of the first, the 21st homer of this postseason for the Red Sox -- a new franchise record. It gave Boston a 2-1 lead.
From there, across the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, it was an exchange of missed opportunities and some fine overall work by Pivetta and both bullpens. Nail-biting times for the fully standing crowd on a chilly night in Boston.
And then Jose Altuve strolled to the plate in the top of the eighth, just as the FS1 broadcast was coming back from commercial break, and belted a game-tying first pitch solo blast to left off Garret Whitlock, putting Houston up 3-2. It was the second game-tying homer in this series for Altuve, though he’d been quiet since Game 1. It was also the star second baseman’s 21st career postseason homer, breaking a tie with Derek Jeter for third-most in MLB history. Manny Ramirez (29) and Bernie Williams (22) are the only two players who stand ahead.
Carlos Corrrea smacked a leadoff double to the right field wall in the top of the ninth and eventually scored the go-ahead run on Jason Castro’s two-on, two-out, two-strike RBI single to right. Six insurance runs followed -- again, all with two outs. The seven total runs were the most in any postseason inning in Astros franchise history. Nathan Eovaldi came out of the bullpen for Boston to begin the ninth, making his first relief appearance since August 14, 2019. Martin Perez entered six batters later and exacerbated the bleeding.
Astros starter Zack Greinke retired only the four of the nine hitters he faced on Tuesday, and manager Dusty Baker has now gotten just 6 2/3 innings from his starting rotation through four games in this ALCS. That’s the fewest number of innings from any team’s starting pitchers over a four-game stretch in MLB postseason history. None of the Astros’ four ALCS starters thus far have made it through the third.
But this best-of-seven series has suddenly turned into a best-of-three, and the AL West champs are now guaranteed at least another game back at Minute Maid Park. Game 5 on Wednesday at Fenway will match Framber Valdez with Chris Sale, and probably a dozen or so relievers combined.
Whatever your thoughts on the growing length of these 2021 postseason games, you can’t say they’ve been stale.
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 -- only the third day in the history of the MLB playoffs with multiple game-tying home runs in eighth inning or later. The others: October 1, 1998. October 3, 1995.
Quick Hits: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Julio Urias will start Game 4 of the NLCS on Wednesday against the Braves … Yankees signed manager Aaron Boone to a three-year contract extension … Andy Martino of SNY.tv hears from league sources that there’s a “real chance” the Mets and Javier Baez could agree early in the offseason on a contract extension … Max Muncy (elbow) has yet to resume swinging a bat and is doubtful for the remainder of the postseason … DJ LeMahieu recently underwent core muscle repair surgery but should be fully recovered by the start of spring training in 2022 … Jameson Taillon is scheduled to have surgery on his right ankle on October 28 … Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged Tuesday that Gleyber Torres is best-suited at second base, not shortstop … Jordan Luplow underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle Tuesday … Pete Kozma elected to become a free agent after being outrighted off the A’s roster.