NLDS Game Three, 2020

Braves vs Marlins, 11:08 AM PDT, TV: FS1

Atlanta leads the series 2-0.

The Braves hand the ball to RHP Kyle Wright, who’ll be making his first postseason appearance. He last pitched on September 25 against the Red Sox; he gave up two runs in 6 2/3 innings. That was the longest outing of his short career. He’ll face the Marlins’ RHP Sixto Sánchez. who went five scoreless innings against the Cubs in the Marlins’ Wild Card Series.

The second NLDS game will be the Dodgers vs Padres, 6:08 PM PDT, TV: MLBN

Los Angeles leads the series 2-0.

The Dodgers haven’t named a starter as of 8:25 PM HST, but my guess would be RHP Tony Gonsolin or LHP Julio Urias, since they’ve both started this season. The Padres will send out LHP rookie Adrian Morejon, who will make his first postseason start. He pitched three innings in two appearances against the Cardinals in the Wild Card Series.

Here are nine of the best reactions to Bellinger’s catch.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1929 In front of 50,000 fans at Wrigley Field, surprise starter Howard Ehmke establishes a new World Series record, striking out 13 Cubs en route to a 3-1 A’s victory in Game 1 of the Fall Classic. The mark will last for 34 years until Dodger hurler Carl Erskine fans 14 Yankees in 1953.
  • 1956 Don Larsen pitches the first perfect game in World Series history, defeating the Dodgers, 2-0 in Game 5 of the Fall Classic at Yankee Stadium. The 27 year-old right-hander, who had a poor start in Game 2 because of a lack of control, throws only 97 pitches, striking out pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell looking for the final out.

  • 1957 Club President Walter O’Malley makes it official, announcing the Dodgers will play in Los Angeles next season. The club’s departure from Brooklyn corresponds with the massive social shift taking place in the borough that finds many of its former residents leaving for the suburbs of Long Island.
  • 1959 Chicago’s speed and quickness weren’t enough to overcome Los Angeles’ hitting and pitching as the ‘Go-Go Sox’ drop a 9-3 decision, losing the World Series in six games to the Dodgers, who win their first championship representing the City of Angels. In the Comiskey Park, LA’s Chuck Essegian sets a record with his ninth-inning shot off of Ray Moore to become the first player to hit two pinch-hit homers in the Fall Classic.
  • 1966 The Orioles managed only three hits off Claude Osteen, but Paul Blair’s fifth-inning 430-foot home run proves to be the difference as Baltimore beats the Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series, 1-0. Wally Bunker throws a six-hitter to get the victory in the first Fall Classic game ever played in Baltimore.
  • 1977 In Game 4 of the NLCS played at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Dodger hurler Tommy John goes the distance and beats Steve Carlton and the Phillies, 4-1. The LA southpaw considers this pennant-clinching performance the best game he has ever pitched in the major leagues.
  • 1995 After dropping the first two games of the series, the Mariners make a dramatic comeback in Game 5 to beat the Yankees with a 6-5 extra-inning victory to capture the ALDS. Ken Griffey Jr. ties a major league record when he hits his fifth home run in the postseason series, an eighth-inning round-tripper off David Cone, equaling the mark Reggie Jackson established in 1977 when he went deep five times in the World Series against the Dodgers.

  • 2009 A ninth-inning error by left fielder Matt Holliday with the bases empty and two-out leads to the Dodgers’ stunning 3-2 walk-off victory and gives LA a commanding 2-0 game advantage in the NLDS. After the crucial miscue on the sinking line drive, Cardinals’ closer Ryan Franklin gives up RBI singles to Ronnie Belliard and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta to complete the improbable two-run comeback rally.

Today in Padres’ history:

  • 2002 The Tigers select their former All-Star shortstop Alan Trammell (1977-1996) to manage the faltering franchise. The California native had been a coach with the Padres for the last three seasons.
  • 2006 In the inaugural season in their new ballpark, the Cardinals beat the Padres 6-2 at Busch Stadium to take the NLDS playoff three games to one. The Redbirds advance to the championship series for the third consecutive season when Chris Carpenter gets the win, earning his second victory in the best-of-five series.

Lineups when available.

Padres’ lineup:

Dodgers’ lineup:

304 thoughts on “NLDS Game Three, 2020

  1. Whitey Ford has died. I will always remember the loge-level gopher ball he served up to Frank Howard in the1963 Series.

    • 13 years after his debut as a 20-year-old rookie in the 1950 World Series, in which he won Game Four of the Yankees’ sweep of the Whiz Kid Phillies.

    • Charlie and Rick noted that it is only 40 feet to the backstop, making for a tough run to home. Pitcher has a 40 foot head start to cover.

  2. The MLB postgame panel said in all the Dodgers’ history they’ve never before had a guy get five hits in a postseason game. That IS a little surprising.

  3. Another 10 or 12 games like that and Will Smith could be the Dodgers postseason hits leader.

    • In Australian sailor parlance affectionately called San Cali Ding Dong. What they called SF is NSFW.

  4. I feel like the Dodgers adjusted their offense to this park this game. They’ve figured it out. Could be an advantage going forward.

  5. The pitch that hit Turner also got the catcher and the umpire. Wasn’t it Drysdale who called that the perfect pitch?

  6. I know it it is the good kind, but this game is boring. The parade of relievers does very little for me.

  7. Hard to imagine how many pitching changes the Pads would have made if there wasn’t a 3 batter minimum. They might have used all 14.

  8. No angst about leaving a bases loaded no outs situation with nothing to show for it?

  9. Dodgers have left so many runners on. This game is way closer than it should be.

  10. I hope that doesn’t fire them up… Bases loaded and nobody out = nada. But Turner getting hurt sliding home would not have worked either.

  11. May as well get another hit Will. It could be a few days before you get another ab.

  12. I would have started Beatty over Pederson as DH, but we are not talking about major drama here. In any event, Beat(t)y won’t be making any circus catches.

  13. In their three game Wild Card Series, Padre starters pitched 7 of the 27 innings. They have upped that to 8 innings in this series.

  14. If we score another run or two this inning I will really like the Dodgers chances in this game.

  15. I do not mind this play by play guy. I like his voice and cadence and his stories.

  16. This game apart, I appreciate what the Padres have done to improve their team and to become a true rival. Makes for enjoyable game watching.

      • Of course the Dodgers going 94-49 in recent years against them makes me comfortable when the Dodgers play them. That will tighten up I think over the next few years…

  17. I see Joc knocked in a pair, and I apologize to him and to all the Joc enthusiasts out there.

  18. I think the Dodgers are a bit better team than the Cards. I’m aware the Cards were up 6-2 vs the Pads but couldn’t close it out.

  19. I am particularly pleased that we are scoring a bunch of ways without a home run.

  20. Me thinks the heavy bullpen usage of the Padres in games one and two is coming home to roost tonight.

  21. JT takes career lead in postseason hits for Dodgers, 64, moving ahead of Garvey. What surprises me is that Puig is in the top five with 51.

  22. That worked out better than if it had gone through the infield plus we got to see a great catch.

    • Postseason records through Wednesday’s game.
      Games played
      Justin Turner, 58
      Yasiel Puig, 58
      Andre Ethier, 51
      Joc Pederson, 50
      Bill Russell, 49

      Hits
      Justin Turner, 63
      Steve Garvey, 63
      Bill Russell, 57
      Yasiel Puig, 51
      Pee Wee Reese, 46

      Doubles
      Justin Turner, 13
      Carl Furillo, 9
      Joc Pederson, 8
      Duke Snider, 8
      Ron Cey, 7
      Jackie Robinson, 7

      Triples
      Steve Garvey, 3
      Davey Lopes, 3
      Yasiel Puig, 3
      Bill Russell, 3

      Home Runs
      Duke Snider, 11
      Steve Garvey, 10
      Justin Turner, 9
      Adrian Gonzalez, 7
      Joc Pederson, 7

  23. I took a nice long brisk walk just now, listening to the start on the radio. Let’s see how I do…

  24. Could have had more there but I love that the lineup has turned over and is back to Mookie to start the third.

  25. I swear Belli chuckles it up with everyone on every opposing team. Like he was with Tatis there.

  26. Weird to think that the teams traded clubhouses at some point between last night and tonight.

  27. Asterisks eliminated the A’s in four games. Once again,they got to celebrate at Dodger Stadium. There were 24 home runs hit in the four contests.

  28. Can we please have a less dramatic win tonight? I’m actually glad we’re up at bat first, and hoping for some early runs.

  29. Very good that Doc was able to verify the gravity of the closer situation last night without there being a loss. That said, Kenley looked pretty good until the pitch count mounted with the Croneworth PA, when Barnes wasn’t able to hold onto the third strike foul tip. Kenley ended up with almost 40 pitches in two days, much more than his even in the best of times.

  30. From The Athletic:

    The Padres were down to their last strike 11 times in the ninth. According to STATS LLC, the 49 pitches the Dodgers threw in the inning were the most any team had thrown in an inning of a playoff victory since the finale of the 1993 World Series, when the Blue Jays threw 49 in the seventh and gave up the lead before Joe Carter hit his walkoff in the ninth.