LOS ANGELES — There was already a 14-win gap between the two teams in this Wild Card Series. When the Milwaukee Brewers lost two of their best pitchers and another starting pitcher due to injuries, they arrived for a knife fight wielding a plastic spork.
But those things can hurt.
The Dodgers scored three times in the first two innings then hung on through a series of new-age pitching machinations by both managers to take Game 1 4-2 on Wednesday night.
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Dodgers catcher Will Smith #16 and closer Kenley Jansen #74 celebrate their win during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. The Dodgers beat the Brewers 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 and Enrique Hernandez #14 hug after the final out of game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. The Dodgers beat the Brewers 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ A.J. Pollock #11 doubles in the bottom of the eight inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. The Dodgers beat the Brewers 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ celebrate their win during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. The Dodgers beat the Brewers 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 is congratulated by Justin Turner #10 after hitting a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodger pitcher Julio Urias #7 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Brewers’ Keston Hiura #18 throws to first base for a double play as the Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger #35 slides into second base in the bottom of the sixth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts #50 makes a running catch on a deep fly ball hit by the Brewers’ Avisail Garcia #24 in the top of the fourth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Brewers’ Keston Hiura #18 slides in to second base attempting to break up a double play as the Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 throws to first in the top of the top of the third inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger #35 singles in the bottom of the sixth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 hits a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Brewers’ Orlando Arcia celebrates after hitting a two run homer in the top of the fourth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 walks around the mound after giving up a two run homer to the Brewers’ Orlando Arcia #3 in the top of the fourth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Brewers’ Orlando Arcia heads for home plate after hitting a two run homer in the top of the fourth inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts #50 scores after being walked home by Brewers pitcher Brent Suter #35 in the bottom of the first inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 heads for home on a walk in the bottom of the first inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Brewers starting pitcher Brent Suter #35 walks back to the mound as the Dodgers’ Corey Seager #5 is walked home in the bottom of the first inning during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler #21 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Brewers starting pitcher Brent Suter #35 during game one of their best-of-three National League Wild Card Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“The postseason is different. You don’t have to have it every night,” Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager said. “A walk is just as good as a hit sometimes. Like that first inning. We had three, four walks that first inning. I don’t even remember what it was. You don’t need to always be locked in and have to have the big hit to score runs. It’s moving the lineup and getting to people and trying to score anyway you can.”
Or record outs any way you can.
Clayton Kershaw and Brandon Woodruff are scheduled to start Game 2 on Thursday for the Dodgers and Brewers, respectively. That at least holds out the potential for a more turnkey pitching matchup.
Wheels were turning all game Wednesday as Dave Roberts and Craig Counsell tried to manage their way through their unique pitching challenges.
In Roberts’ case, it was the blister that sent Game 1 starter Walker Buehler to the injured list twice in the last five weeks of the season. Buehler brushed off questions about his index finger Tuesday, saying everything was “fine.” But it clearly remains an ongoing concern.
Before the game Wednesday, Roberts said he would be “threading the needle” on how far to push Buehler, knowing that “once you see” the blister flaring up it’s too late and “understanding we need him for the next four series to win the World Series.”
That thread unspooled for only four innings and 73 pitches. Buehler was dominant for the first three, allowing just one hit and striking out two an inning.
“We’ve talked about the cutter probably being the one (type of pitch) that’s toughest on it,” Buehler said. “So I mostly threw the four-seamer, the slider and the curveball tonight. It is what it is. We’re managing it and moving on.”
In the fourth, Buehler gave up a two-run home run to Orlando Arcia on a badly-located 0-and-2 fastball. Julio Urias, moved to the bullpen in this best-of-three series, followed Buehler and contributed three scoreless innings in what look liked a pre-scripted plan but Roberts said wasn’t.
“It wasn’t. We just didn’t know what we were going to get from Walker, to be quite honest,” Roberts said. “We had a rested ‘pen. I had a good idea Julio was going to pitch tonight. I just didn’t know when it was going to happen. it just kind of worked more seamless which was great.”
The Dodgers’ offense could have made it easier for Buehler and Urias by building on the head start they were given.
Without starters Corbin Burnes (oblique) or Brett Anderson (blister), Counsell went with Brent Suter as his Game 1 starter. Suter walked just five batters in 31 2/3 innings during the regular season but he walked four of the first seven Dodgers he faced during a 32-pitch first inning — just nine strikes.
Two Dodgers drove in runs without swinging the bat (bases-loaded walks to Will Smith and A.J. Pollock). Mookie Betts made it 3-0 with an RBI double in the second inning.
“Going into the game I don’t even think he had walked a lefty all year,” Seager said of Suter, who is the first pitcher in postseason history to walk in multiple runs in the first inning.
“I think we were just taking pitches we needed to, getting in good counts and then really trying to get a good pitch and not expanding the strike zone because we were ahead.”
Then Counsell waved his bullpenning wand. Eric Yardley and Justin Topa retired the next 10 Dodgers in order.
Seager finally gave the Dodgers’ bullpen a larger cushion, crushing a 447-foot solo home run off Freddy Peralta in the seventh. It was the 38th home run the Dodgers have hit in the seventh inning or later this year, compared to 16 allowed in those innings.
Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless eighth. But Kenley Jansen pitched an unsettling ninth. A two-out walk brought Christian Yelich to the plate as the tying run. Jansen struck him out but Roberts sounded concerned after the game.
“It just didn’t seem like the stuff had the teeth that I’ve seen in recent outings. I’m going to go back and look at the video,” Roberts said.
“I just didn’t think that the cutter — there were a couple throws that had the life, but it just didn’t have the life in the zone. The breaking ball was cast more than I’ve seen it. We’ll see. I don’t know as much until I really look at it.”
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