NL Wild Card Series Game One, 2020

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Reds at Braves, 9:08 AM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Reds send Cy Young candidate RHP Trevor Bauer to the mound to face the Braves’ LHP Max Fried. Bauer was 5-4 but had a sparkling 1.73 ERA for the season. All Fried did was go 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA this year.

Marlins at Cubs, 11:08 AM PDT, ABC

RHP Sandy Alcantara takes the mound for the Marlins while RHP Kyle Hendricks does so for the Cubs. Alcantara missed a months with the COVID-19 virus but posted a 3-2, 3.00 ERA in the seven starts he made. Hendricks has a scintillating postseason ERA: 2.98 in 11 appearances. He went 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA in September.

Cardinals at Padres, 2:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN2

The Cards give the ball to LHP Kwang Hyun Kim, who started out the year as the team’s closer but was quickly moved into the rotation, where he went 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA. He’ll face the Padres’ RHP Chris Paddack, who was their Opening Day starter but was inconsistent, posting a 4-5 record with a 4.73 ERA in twelve starts. He’s starting mostly because starters Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet are questionable with elbow impingement and biceps tightness respectively.

Brewers at Dodgers, 7:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Brewers’ Corbin Burnes would have started this game but he hurt his oblique on Friday and is probably out for the year. This will be a bullpen game and LHP Brent Suter will serve as the “opener.” The Dodgers send a rested RHP Walker Buehler to face him, trusting that the blister problem which has allowed him to pitch just four innings in three weeks has healed.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1923 It’s Zack Wheat Day at Ebbets Field, and the retiring Dodger outfielder collects two hits and is given an automobile. Cy Williams of the Phillies spoils the special day as he ties the score in the seventh inning with his 39th homer and his 40th in the 12th frame gives Philadelphia the victory, 6-4.
  • 1933 At Sportsman’s Park in a 12-2 Cubs rout of the Cardinals, Babe Herman hits for the cycle, becoming the first player in baseball history to do it three times. The Chicago outfielder, playing for the Dodgers, also accomplished the feat on two other occasions in 1931.
  • 1947 Ralph Branca becomes the youngest player to start a World Series opener. At Yankee Stadium, the 21-year and 9 months old right hander and the Dodgers lose to the Bronx Bombers, 5-1.
  • 1951 Knowing the Giants have won their game in Boston, the Dodgers rally from a five-run deficit to beat Philadelphia in 14 innings, 9-8, forcing a three-game playoff for the National League pennant. After Jackie Robinson makes a game-saving catch in the thirteenth to preserve an 8-8 tie, he hits a home run in the next frame that proves to be the difference in Brooklyn’s victory at Shibe Park.
  • 1953 George Shuba, best known as the Montreal Royal teammate who shook Jackie Robinson’s hand after the rookie had homered, becomes the third major leaguer and the first National League player to pinch hit a home run in the World Series when he goes deep off Allie Reynolds in the Dodgers’ 9-5 Game 1 loss at Yankee Stadium. ‘Shotgun’ joins Yogi Berra (1947) and Johnny Mize (1952), who both accomplished the feat playing for the Bronx Bombers.
  • 1956 Don Newcombe, a three-time twenty-game winner, goes the distance to earn his major-league leading 27th victory when the Dodgers beat Pittsburgh at Forbes Field, 8-6, on the last day of the campaign. Newk’s win is the most ever in a season by an African-American pitcher.
  • 1962 On the last day of the season, Gene Oliver’s eighth-inning homer off Johnny Podres proves to be the difference in St. Louis’ 1-0 victory over the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. The loss to the Cardinals forces Los Angeles into a best-of-three-game playoff with the Giants for the National League pennant, a series the team will lose to San Francisco.
  • 1999 The largest regular-season crowd in Candlestick Park history, 61,389 fans, watches the Dodgers beat the home team, 9-4 in the last baseball game to ever be played at the ‘Stick’. Giant greats help mark the occasion with Juan Marichal tossing out the ceremonial first pitch before the game and Willie Mays throwing out the ballpark’s final pitch after the game.

For other notable events on this day in baseball, see here.

Brewers’ lineup:

Dodgers’ lineup:

353 thoughts on “NL Wild Card Series Game One, 2020”

  8. From the LA Times:

    The Dodgers’ thinking was if Buehler couldn’t pitch deep into the game — because of the blister or struggles — they would have a fresh bullpen to take down innings behind him. They then could rely on Kershaw, their ace during the regular season, to deliver a longer outing in Game 2 on Thursday.

  9. Because of the damn Yankees, my Sling TV does not allow me access to the Dodger game, which is on ESPN 1. Fortunately, I’ve found the Spanish-language broadcast on ESPN 3.

    • They were never really in danger of giving up the lead. Cerveceros had only ten baserunners, and I don’t their ever having two on simultaneously. Not even sure they got a runner to third, except on the dinger.

  66. The Indians and the Yankees are in the bottom of the 8th. The game has now listed five hours and 10 minutes.

  67. Time to get some hits. We have none such no outs in the second inning. (Runs would be appreciated as well.)

  68. Last year I won a bet with a Cerveceros fan friend who lives in Chile over whether Bellinger or Yelich would be MVP. He owes me a dinner in one of Patagonia’s best restaurants, but I have no idea when I might be able to get back there.

  71. In a short series, is Muncy, when he is not hitting and is not a great fielder, a liability, or do we just keep hoping for him to hit one over the fence?

      • I watched a couple of older gentlemen kinda talk over each other on tv last night. So I understand some of those nervous feelings. (Rule 5 violation I know).

  92. Buehler might not been approved for more than 75 pitches.

    Was that a black ball Urias was warming up with?

  110. “Brett Suter, not a good start.” That right there is some truly insightful analysis from the announcers.

  114. That “Back back back” from JT to AJ concerned me because they didn’t show the flight of the ball.

  115. Imagine trying to suggest doing an interview with Kershaw while he is pitching? That would not go well.

  124. In the last iteration of the postseason with 10 teams, the range of games that could possible be played was between 26 (min) and 43 (max).

    In this brave new world of 16 teams, the range is between 40 (min) and 65 (max).

  138. So with the Twins being eliminated today that means there will be no repeat of the 1965 World Series.
    The closest to a Dodger-Blue Jay World Series was 1985.

    Still in play:
    Rematch of the 1920 WS vs Cleveland.
    Rematch of the 1959 WS vs Chicago.
    Rematch of the 1974 and 1988 WS vs the Athletics.
    Rematch of all the various WS vs the Yankees.
    And the rematch of the 2017 WS vs the Cheating Astros.

    • The Indians led the Yankees 4-0 after 1 and now trail 5-4 in the 4th thanks to a grand slam by Ursheta.

  144. It’s a pity the Gnats ever left Candlestick, a far superior venue to today’s Software Stadium.

    In other news, old friend Kyle Farmer is Cincy’s starting SS, but he just missed a chance to put the Rojos ahead in the 12th.

  145. More on Shuba — this is cool – from Wikipedia:

    “On December 3, 2019 it was reported that a 7-foot statue of the handshake would be created and placed in Shuba’s hometown, Youngstown, Ohio. It is scheduled to be unveiled on April 18, 2021, the 75th anniversary of the handshake.”

  147. Given the fact that the Brewers will likely use more than two pitchers, at least one lefty and one righty, I see that Doc is alternating our lineup between batters from each side of the plate. I am glad that Rios is in there. I would have swapped Muncy and Bellinger, but who am I?

  150. Atléticos hang on v. the Chisox, but Ryu gets lit up by the Devil Rays (with no help from his defense).