Just your typical World Series game three victory

Phil Gurnee ♦ October 27, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

If you expected Walker Buehler to show why he’s already the ace of this team you were not disappointed. As  one time World Series hero Adam Wainwright tweeted:

I guarantee that anybody who played against or saw @buehlersdayoff pitch this season isn’t surprised at all by how he’s pitching tonight. Hands down best stuff I saw in person all year from a starting pitcher. Nasty. #WorldSeries2018

— Adam Wainwright (@UncleCharlie50) October 27, 2018

Walker was so good that he sent everyone to the baseball reference play index. This is the one I’m going with. Buehler was only the 2nd pitcher since 1958 to allow only two baserunners while throwing at least seven innings in a World Series game.

Player                 Date Series  Rslt AppDec  IP H ER BB BR GSc
Jim Lonborg      1967-10-05     WS W 5-0  SHO W 9.0 1  0  1  2  88
Walker Buehler   2018-10-26     WS W 3-2   GS-7 7.0 2  0  0  2  80

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/27/2018.

How about Dodger World Series game scores? Yeah, 30 years ago was the last time a Dodger pitched a World Series game this good. Walker did so many things last night that he is going to fill the World Series leaderboards.

Player                 Date Series  Tm Opp  Rslt   IP H ER BB SO GSc
Walker Buehler   2018-10-26     WS LAD BOS W 3-2  7.0 2  0  0  7  80
Orel Hershiser   1988-10-16     WS LAD OAK W 6-0  9.0 3  0  2  8  87
Burt Hooton      1977-10-12     WS LAD NYY W 6-1  9.0 5  1  1  8  80
Sandy Koufax     1965-10-14     WS LAD MIN W 2-0  9.0 3  0  3 10  88
Sandy Koufax     1965-10-11     WS LAD MIN W 7-0  9.0 4  0  1 10  88
Don Drysdale     1963-10-05     WS LAD NYY W 1-0  9.0 3  0  1  9  89
Clem Labine      1956-10-09     WS BRO NYY W 1-0 10.0 7  0  2  5  81
Sherry Smith     1916-10-09     WS BRO BOS L 1-2 13.1 7  2  6  2  82

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/27/2018.

Maybe you expected a relief pitcher who was scheduled to pitch game four, pitch six innings in game three instead? Nathan Eovaldi is now one of only seven relief pitchers since 1958 to pitch at least six innings in the World Series. The Dodgers are well documented here with ex-Dodger Eovaldi, Rick Rhoden, and of course Moe Drabowsky who probably owns the greatest World Series relief effort in history.  Anyone remember the Rick Rhoden game?  Doug Rau was knocked out without recording an out, and Rick came in and bailed out the inning. This will need a whole new column dedicated to this game because I have zero memory of it but it might have been the greatest relief work in the history of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Rhoden gave up a hit to the second batter he faced and then retired thirteen in a row before giving up a home run to Reggie Jackson.  He would then retire the next seven batters. Rick also hit a ground rule double for good measure. The Dodgers lost this game which is why it is lost to history. No one remembers the losers. In a few years, Nathon Eovaldi will be forgotten but Max Muncy will not be.

Rk           Player       Date Series  Tm Opp   Rslt      AppDec  IP H ER BB SO HR
1    Nathan Eovaldi 2018-10-26     WS BOS LAD  L 2-3 12-GF(18) L 6.0 3  1  1  5  1
2       Rick Rhoden 1977-10-15     WS LAD NYY  L 2-4         2-8 7.0 2  1  0  5  1
3        Tug McGraw 1973-10-14     WS NYM OAK W 10-7     6-12 BW 6.0 5  4  3  8  0
4       Bruce Kison 1971-10-13     WS PIT BAL  W 4-3       1-7 W 6.1 1  0  0  3  0
5     Moe Drabowsky 1966-10-05     WS BAL LAD  W 5-2      3-GF W 6.2 1  0  2 11  0
6         Bud Daley 1961-10-09     WS NYY CIN W 13-5      3-GF W 6.2 5  0  0  3  1
7        Bob Turley 1958-10-09     WS NYY MLN  W 6-2      3-GF W 6.2 2  1  3  2  1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/27/2018.

I’m sure we all expected Xander Bogaerts to set the modern day record for futility by failing to get on base in any of his eight plate appearances.

Player                  Date Series  Tm Opp PA H BB IBB
Xander Bogaerts   2018-10-26     WS BOS LAD  8 0  0   0
Willy Taveras     2005-10-25     WS HOU CHW  7 0  0   0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/27/2018.

If you expected a couple of home runs from the crew that had hit over 100 home runs during the season but had yet to start a World Series game you were not disappointed.

Given how many times we saw the graphic that the Dodgers were leaving over 100 home runs on the bench in games 1 and 2 I fully expect Joc, Muncy, Bellinger, and Grandal to do the boom boom tonight.

— Phil Gurnee (@meercatjohn) October 26, 2018

These two teams combined to score 1680 runs in the 2018 regular season. They could only score 5 runs in eighteen innings last night and this morning.

If you expected Manny Machado to jog on an apparent home run you were not disappointed. You see balls hit the green monster and just become singles all the time, that may have been the first ball I’ve seen hit the Dodger left field fence and end up being a single.  If Cody Bellinger had followed with a hit, it might have been a huge play, but Cody did what every other Dodger did all evening. Pop up.

Ian Kinsler gave us the worst play by an infielder I’ve seen in a World Series. Context is important here. The error he made can be made anytime, but it can’t be made with the tying run on 3rd base. You can’t make a throw that allows the tying run to score, not when you already have two outs. You just can’t. I’m sad for him because I expect Red Sox fans to let never let him forget it if the Dodgers go onto to win this World Series.  I’m glad a Dodger didn’t make such a boner. They still haven’t forgiven Grandal for his transgressions and the Dodgers won that series.

People took naps for hours and woke up to find the game still on.

I watched the Clipper/Rocket game twice. Twice and the second time if ended just minutes before Max Muncy to the relief of everyone, sent them home or to bed.

This was not a game that created new baseball fans, but it will become a game that all Dodger fans will long remember.