No closer? No problem. The Dodgers have options this postseason, and they're not afraid to use them
"The expectation is that Craig is gonna come in and take the ninth," Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said at the time. Six months and 111 team wins later, the Dodgers embarked on their 10th straight postseason run without Kimbrel on the division series roster. Rather, “it hasn't been a consistent year for him,” as manager Dave Roberts said before Game 1 against the San Diego Padres. When it comes to the ninth, or the eighth, or the seventh, the Dodgers have options and they’re not afraid to use them. As for what that looked like in Game 1 against the Padres, “I loved it,” Roberts said.
wftv.comFreeman's RBI single in 10th gives Dodgers 107th win
The win by the NL West champion Dodgers kept the Padres' magic number at four for clinching a wild-card berth in a full season for the first time since 2006. It also put the Dodgers in position to win their ninth straight series against the Padres since June 2021. The teams went to extra innings for the second straight night. Alex Vesia (5-0), who grew up in the San Diego area, pitched the ninth for the win. They beat St. Louis in a wild-card series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before being swept in the division series by the eventual World Series champion Dodgers.
wftv.comPujols homers in return to St. Louis, Dodgers down Cards 7-2
Dodgers Cardinals Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers' Albert Pujols tips his tap to cheering fans as he steps up to bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS — (AP) — Albert Pujols rewarded an adoring crowd by hitting a home run in his return to Busch Stadium, sending the Los Angeles Dodgers toward a 7-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. St. Louis has lost five of six. A star slugger who led the Cardinals to a pair of World Series championships, the 41-year-old Pujols made his second appearance at Busch Stadium after playing for St. Louis from 2001-2011. Tyler O’Neill had three hits for St. Louis, which came into play chasing San Diego for the second NL wild-card spot.
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