Thursday, April 14, 2022

Post-Game 6 Thread: Slappy Delivers The Home Opener Victory

Slappy pummeling Mr. Red

DODGERS 9, REDS 3

Saving what was heading toward a disastrous loss, "Slappy" Will Smith banged an eighth-inning, three-run HR to give the Dodgers a 7-3 lead (Trea Turner had just given the Dodgers a 4-3 lead on an RBI single, but Smith's blast put this out of reach). Ironically, Slappy's shot went off the top of the wall, and then hit the glove of the Reds fielder before bouncing back over the wall (just watched the highlight), so that was indeed "out of reach". In that bottom of the eighth frame, the Dodgers kept on rolling, sending 11 men to the plate and scored six runs.

Also congratulations to Freddie Freeman, whose double to leadoff the eighth not only led the charge, but also gave Freeman a well-deserved ovation and chant from the crowd:

It was an impressive awakening after sleeping through six straight scoreless frames, especially after opening up the game with a first inning that saw five hits and three runs and chased the Reds starter, Luis Cessa. But the Dodgers then looked absent from the second through seventh innings, allowing the Reds to claw their way back to a tie game, off of two home runs across the sixth and seventh innings. So it was amazing to come back and give the sellout crowd a win.

Walker Buehler lasted 5.2 innings and gave up that first HR, a two-run shot to Aristedes Aquino. David Price, who relieved Buehler, yielded the second HR. But the offensive outburst in the bottom of the eighth put this game away.

Dodgers move to 4-2 and now sit tied for first place in the NL West, along with everyone else except Arizona. Jackie Robinson Day is tomorrow, so let's go!

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