SAN DIEGO —
The opening assertion got here two batters into the sport, Mookie Betts hitting a ball to Chula Vista, the surprised stadium enveloping him within the sweetest of silence.
The follow-up assertion got here quickly thereafter, Shohei Ohtani driving a ball down the right-field line at about 1,000 mph, the silence turning to shock.
The closing argument appeared shortly after that, Will Smith blasting one other weak pitch over the middle discipline fence, one dugout dancing, the opposite one sulking — recreation over.
Three innings, one message, powerfully delivered Wednesday from the Dodgers to the all of the sudden harried and humbled San Diego Padres:
This isn’t 2022. This isn’t taking place once more. This isn’t going to be straightforward. That is going the space.
Dodger Mookie Betts celebrates with teammates Gavin Lux (9) and Tommy Edman (25) after defeating the San Diego Padres 8-0 in Recreation 4 of the Nationwide League Division Sequence at Petco Park on Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions)
The Padres wish to steal this Nationwide League Division sequence once more? This time they’re going to must do it in a winner-take-all recreation at Dodger Stadium.
Buckle up. Batten down. The fifth and last recreation on this brawl will happen Friday night time at Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers creating the drama with a desperation 8-0 victory at Petco Park Wednesday night time.
It was the most important shutout win in Dodger playoff historical past. It gave life to the potential for one of many biggest postseason sequence wins in Dodger historical past.
“See … you … Friday!” chanted a resilient band of Dodger followers at Petco and, certainly, it needs to be one thing to see.
Will probably be the most important playoff elimination recreation at Dodger Stadium since Chris Taylor gained the wild-card contest with a walk-off homer towards the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021.
However this feels larger than that. That is Dodger Stadium versus Machado, Shohei versus Tatis Jr, grinders versus showboaters, the actual freeway sequence.
These are the 2 finest groups left within the playoffs. As a result of the New York Mets upset the Philadelphia Phillies within the different Nationwide League division sequence, the winner of this recreation will possible be the favourite to not solely advance to the World Sequence, however win it.
It’s only becoming that this neighborhood standoff, which was swiped and surprised by the Padres in 4 video games two years in the past, would come down to 1 recreation, one night time, another little bit of drama.
The sequence opener featured a monster first punch by the home-run hitting Ohtani. The second recreation was stuffed with showboating Padres who taunted bottle-throwing followers. When Recreation 3 got here to San Diego, the Dodgers initially didn’t include it, failing to point out in a lackluster loss.
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen’s teammates go to him on the mound throughout an 8-0 win over the Padres at Petco Park Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions)
This arrange Wednesday’s Recreation 4, a contest which the Dodgers entered lacking two key injured gamers — Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas — and have been compelled to navigate with no starter and all bullpen.
All this, and there was a stat flying round that groups that lead a five-game sequence 2-1 at dwelling win the sequence 82% of the time
Seems, the Dodgers had the Padres proper the place they needed them.
Throughout pre-game exercises they have been so unfastened, they performed mini-golf within the clubhouse. When Max Muncy was requested by Supervisor Dave Roberts concerning the group’s temper, he wanted solely 4 phrases for a solution.
“I told him, ‘Hey, we got this,’” Muncy instructed FOX TV.
Yeah, that they had this.
The offense swung neatly and freely, particularly towards Padres starter Dylan Stop, scoring three runs in 1 ⅔ innings after predicting they might hit him on brief relaxation.
“One of the things we think about is he’s not 100% on rest, we’re going to make him work,” mentioned Teoscar Hernández earlier than the sport. ”That’s not a secret for anyone. Attempt to get on base as many occasions as we are able to and simply attempting to attain some runs early within the recreation.”
The aggressiveness additionally returned, with Michael Kopech unapologetically throwing inside to a flattened Fernando Tatis Jr.
“We’re trying to support each other and trying to bring the energy, that positive energy to everyone,” Hernández mentioned.
Dodger Gavin Lux celebrates after hitting a two-run dwelling run through the seventh inning of Recreation 4 of the Nationwide League Division Sequence towards the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Occasions)
Then there was, in fact, the good bullpen work, eight Dodger pitchers combining to carry the Padres to 5 singles and two extra-base hits. The Padres haven’t scored in 15 innings courting again to the second inning of Recreation 3, and so they must be interested by that Friday when they may absolutely face a few of these Dodger relievers once more.
The one factor that might cease the Dodgers on this night time, it appeared, was third base umpire Mark Ripperger.
With two out within the fourth, Ohtani daringly sped round third on a pointy grounder simply contained in the third-base line. He may have stolen a run, besides the ball bounced off of Ripperger and finally was picked up by Machado, who threw Ohtani out at dwelling.
Cameras later captured Ohtani screaming at Ripperger in a uncommon present of anger.
A day after snoozing their approach to the brink of elimination, the Dodgers confirmed they may very well be emotionally ready to cope with their intense little brothers.
They’ve another likelihood, another second, another recreation to show it.
