Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. I must be dreaming, because I am almost positive I watched someone pitch a complete game.
Game 2 thoughts:
—Alessia Cara performed the Canadian anthem, and Bebe Rexha performed the U.S. anthem before the game. Apparently, Bryan Adams was unavailable.
—Don’t get mad and call me un-American, but the Canadian national anthem is beautiful.
—Joe Carter threw out the first pitch. Apparently Dave Stieb was unavailable.
—I was concerned after the first inning. It was a repeat of Game 1. Dodgers score, but Blue Jays threatened before being retired without a run scoring. Just like Game 1.
—This time however, Yoshinobu Yamamoto settled into a groove and was dominant. If someone told me after that inning, where Yamamoto threw 23 pitches, that he would pitch a complete game, I would have laughed.
—Nice to see Will Smith hit a home run. It was his first extra-base hit of this postseason. It seemed to fire the team up. It certainly fired Smith up.
—Blue Jays fans were mad at manager John Schneider for not removing Kevin Gausman sooner. Complaining about a manager and how he handles pitchers? Sounds familiar.
—I’m just glad Schneider was finally able to find steady work so many years after “The Dukes of Hazzard” was canceled.
—Wait, I’m now being told that is a different John Schneider. I guess that explains why Tom Wopat isn’t one of his coaches.
—Teoscar Hernández is three for his last 22 with nine strikeouts and struck out in all four of his at-bats in Game 2. He is going through one of those phases where he chases pitches well out of the zone. Hopefully he snaps out of it.
—Justin Dean made a very nice play in center field in the ninth inning, showing why the Dodgers have him on the roster. The jump he got on the fly ball was incredible. He has now been in 11 of the 12 postseason games without coming to the plate, though he did score a run as a pinch-runner.
—You have to wonder what Hyeseong Kim thinks. He’s been on the roster for every round of the postseason, but has only played in one game, as a pinch-runner.
—Many of you don’t like John Smoltz because he talks too much. And I agree, he needs to cut down a bit, but what he says is usually very good. Plus, he’s very vocal in pushing back against the ridiculous pitch-count theory, that 100 pitches is the limit. I appreciate him for that.
—Yamamoto was in a zone. It was like he saw nothing else except Smith behind the plate. The Toronto crowd is loud, and it didn’t seem to bother him at all.
—Some numbers about Yamamoto:
He’s the fourth pitcher to retire the last 20 or more batters of a postseason game, joining Don Larsen of the Yankees, who retired all 27 batters in his perfect game against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series. St. Louis’ Grover Cleveland Alexander, who retired 21 Yankees in a row in Game 2 of the 1926 World Series and Boston’s Dutch Leonard, who retired 20 Phillies in a row in Game 3 of the 1915 World Series.
No Dodger had ever retired 20 batters in a row in a postseason game. The previous high was 19 by Carl Erskine in Game 5 of the 1952 World Series.
It was only the eighth time a Dodger pitched consecutive complete games in the postseason, joining Orel Hershiser (three consecutive in 1988), Sandy Koufax in 1963 and 1965 World Series, Sal Maglie (1956), Johnny Podres (1955), Whit Wyatt (1941) and Sherry Smith (1920).
—But more importantly, it was a wonderful throwback to the way baseball used to be. A pitcher going deep into the game, dominating an opponent even though he may be tiring. Getting big congrats from teammates for a job well done. That’s how legends are made.
—And the best part, in both his complete games, is the little smile Yamamoto gives after he gets the last out.
—The Blue Jays turn to Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber in Games 3 and 4.
—The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series five years ago today.
—My prediction remains, Dodgers in five.
—More importantly, we wish Alex Vesia and his wife the best as they go through a trying time.
Postseason stats
How the Dodgers and Blue Jays have done this postseason:
Batting
Alex Call, .750/.857/.750, 3 for 4, 2 walks
Ben Rortvedt, .429/.500/.571, 3 for 7, 1 double, 1 RBI, 3 K’s
Miguel Rojas, .375/.444/.375, 3 for 8, 1 RBI
Will Smith, .314/.400/.400, 11 for 35, 1 homer, 6 RBIs, 4 walks, 10 K’s
Kiké Hernández, .273/.333/.364, 12 for 44, 4 doubles, 5 RBIs, 4 walks, 13 K’s
Mookie Betts, .271/.364/.396, 13 for 48, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 6 RBIs, 6 walks, 6 K’s
Tommy Edman, .262/.295/.429, 11 for 42, 1 double, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, 2 walks, 14 K’s
Teoscar Hernández, .229/.275/.500, 1 double, 4 homers, 11 RBIs, 3 walks, 16 K’s
Max Muncy, .229/.386/.429, 6 for 28, 1 double, 2 homers, 2 RBIs, 8 walks, 9 K’s
Shohei Ohtani, .224/.333/.633, 11 for 49, 1 triple, 6 homers, 11 RBIs, 8 walks, 19 K’s
Freddie Freeman, .222/.340/.400, 10 for 45, 5 doubles, 1 homer, 1 RBI, 7 walks, 11 K’s
Andy Pages, .093/.133/.116, 4 for 43, 1 double, 1 RBI, 11 K’s
Dalton Rushing, 0 for 1, 1 K
Team, .244/.331/.416, 18 doubles, 2 triples, 16 homers, 44 walks, 113 K’s, 4.58 runs per game
Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., .431/.500/.843, 22 for 51, 3 doubles, 6 homers, 12 RBIs, 7 walks, 4 K’s
Ernie Clement, .429/.442/.592, 21 for 49, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 8 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 K’s
Bo Bichette, .333/500/.333, 1 for 3, 1 walk
Nathan Lukes, .318/.375/.386, 14 for 44, 3 doubles, 8 RBIs, 4 walks, 7 K’s
Addison Barger, .300/.378/.575, 12 for 40, 2 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 K’s
George Springer, .259/.349/. 593, 14 for 54, 6 doubles, 4 homers, 9 RBIs, 5 walks, 12 K’s
Alejandro Kirk, .255/.316/.529, 13 for 51, 2 doubles, 4 homers, 10 RBIs, 5 walks, 8 K’s
Daulton Varsho, .255/.296/.510, 13 for 51, 4 doubles, 3 homers, 10 RBIs, 2 walks, 13 K’s
Andrés Giménez, .244/.292/.400, 11 for 45, 1 double, 2 homers, 9 RBIs, 2 walks, 5 K’s
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, .200/.200/.280, 5 for 25, 2 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 K
Anthony Santander, .200/.250/.200, 3 for 15, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 5 K’s
Myles Straw, .182/.250/.182, 2 for 11, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 3 K’s
David Schneider, .154/.313/.251, 2 for 13, 1 double, 3 walks, 5 K’s
Joey Loperfido, 0 for 1
Team, .294/.352/.510, 27 doubles, 1 triple, 23 homers, 37 walks, 76 K’s, 6.38 runs per game
Pitching
Jack Dreyer, 0.00 ERA, 1.2 IP, 2 walks, 1 K
Justin Wrobloeski, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP
Will Klein, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 hit
Tyler Glasnow, 0.68 ERA, 13.1 IP, 7 hits, 1 ER, 8 walks, 18 K’s
Roki Sasaki, 1.13 ERA, 3 saves, 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 2 walks, 6 K’s
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 3-1, 1.57 ERA, 28.2 IP, 17 hits, 5 ER, 4 walks, 26 K’s
Shohei Ohtani, 2-0, 2.25 ERA, 12 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 4 walks, 19 K’s
Blake Snell, 3-1, 2.42 ERA, 26 IP, 14 hits, 7 ER, 8 walks, 32 K’s
Alex Vesia, 2-0, 3.86 ERA, 4.2 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 3 walks, 4 K’s
Blake Treinen, 7.36 ERA, 1 save, 3.2 IP, 5 hits 3 ER, 2 walks, 5 K’s
Anthony Banda, 8.10 ERA, 3.1 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, 1 walk, 3 K’s
Emmet Sheehan, 17.18 ERA, 3.2 IP, 8 hits, 7 ER, 3 walks, 2 K’s
Clayton Kershaw, 18.00 ERA, 2 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER, 3 walks
Edgardo Henriquez, infinity, 0 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 2 walks
Team, 10-2, 3.06 ERA. 4 saves, 109 IP, 74 hits, 37 ER, 42 walks, 116 K’s
Blue Jays
Chris Bassitt, 0.00 ERA, 3.2 IP, 1 hit, 5 K’s
Jeff Hoffman, 1.13 ERA, 2 saves, 8 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 3 walks, 13 K’s
Kevin Gausman, 2-2, 2.55 ERA, 24.2 IP, 14 hits, 7 ER, 9 walks, 18 K’s
Max Scherzer, 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 4 walks, 5 K’s
Seranthony Dominguez, 2-0, 3.38 ERA, 8 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 5 walks, 7 K’s
Trey Yesavage, 2-1, 4.26 ERA, 19 IP, 14 hits, 9 ER, 10 walks, 27 K’s
Shane Bieber, 1-0, 4.38 ERA, 12.1 IP, 16 hits, 6 ER, 3 walks, 15 K’s
Louis Varland, 0-1, 4.63 ERA, 11.2 IP, 10 hits, 6 ER, 2 walks, 13 K’s
Mason Fluharty, 5.40 ERA, 5 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 walks, 8 K’s
Eric Lauer, 6.75 ERA, 4 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, 2 walks, 6 K’s
Braydon Fisher, 7.94 ERA, 5.2 IP, 8 hits, 5 ER, 3 walks, 8 K’s
Yariel Rodríguez, 10.13 ERA, 2.2 IP, 2 hits, 3 ER, 4 walks, 1 K
Brendon Little, 0-1, 12.00 ERA, 3 IP, 5 hits, 4 ER, 4 walks, 2 K’s
Tommy Nance, 13.50 ERA, 1.1 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 1 walk
Justin Bruihl, 54.00 ERA, 0.1 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER
Team, 8-5, 4.38 ERA, 2 saves, 115 IP, 96 hits, 56 ER, 53 walks, 128 K’s
In case you missed it
World Series: George Springer says he will focus on game, not boos, at Dodger Stadium
Shaikin: No more dead-arm nightmares for Dodgers and their uncomplicated pitching strategy
Hernández: What Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s complete games reveal about the Dodgers’ star pitcher
Healthy and energized, Will Smith’s resurgence coming at a perfect time for Dodgers
Plaschke: As tied World Series returns to Dodger Stadium, George Springer and Max Scherzer beware
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s complete-game repeat a brilliant oddity ripped from a bygone era
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches a masterclass, Dodgers win World Series Game 2 | Dodgers Debate
Max Muncy talks World Series Game 2 win, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s performance
What it’s like to experience a World Series game at Cosm Los Angeles
And finally
Highlights from Game 2 of the World Series. Watch and listen here.
Until next time…
Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.