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Los Angeles Times

Sport

Jorge Castillo

Dodgers defeat Braves on Cody Bellinger's blast, advance to the World Series

Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor reacts after his double against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning in Game 7 Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, for the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

ARLINGTON, Texas _ The at-bat that propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to their third National League pennant in four years Sunday night appropriately embodies a club that is four wins away from finally reaching the finish line.

It happened in the seventh inning in the Dodgers' 4-3 win in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves at Globe Life Field. Cody Bellinger was at the plate with the bases empty. Chris Martin stood 60 feet, 6 inches away. Martin was one out from keeping the game tied. Bellinger wouldn't let him slip away.

The count was 2-2 when Bellinger fouled off three straight pitches _ two sinkers and a cutter. The next pitch, the eighth of the battle, was a 94-mph sinker that Martin wishes he could have back. It was up and over the plate. Bellinger feasted, launching it over the right-field wall to give the Dodgers the lead they needed.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias (7) celebrates as the dugout empties after the final out of a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)

Bellinger walked down the first-base line, holding a smile until he started his trot. The celebration was aggressive, too much so. Bellinger jammed his shoulder after banging arms with Kike Hernandez. He winced and ran straight into the dugout. But the center fielder stayed in the game.

The at-bat was what the Dodgers pride themselves on; grinding opponents away until they capitalize on a mistake. It was a microcosm of the series. The Dodgers boasted the deeper team. They had more talent. When they fell in an 0-2 hole, they remained confident that their superiority would prevail in seven-game series played over the seven days.

Their comeback concluded with Julio Urias, their Game 3 starter, throwing three perfect innings to extend their residency in Texas.

Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson is tagged out by a diving Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner on a run down in between home plate and third base during the fourth inning in Game 7 Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, for the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)

The Dodgers are the second team since 1969 to win the National League pennant three times in four years. They won three straight elimination games to win a playoff series for the second time in franchise history, joining the 1981 club that went on to win the World Series in a strike-shortened season.

They'll play Game 1 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

Dustin May was notified he was starting Game 7 via text message at 1 p.m. local time. With Ian Anderson on the bump for Atlanta, the choice created the first ever starting pitching matchup between rookies in a winner-take-all Game 7.

Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud tags out Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor at home plate during the sixth inning in Game 7 Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, for the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

He was informed so late because the Dodgers meticulously examined every possible option. They landed on May, but not as a conventional starter. May had thrown 50 pitches in an abbreviated Game 5 start. The plan instead was for May to face no more than four or five batters before Tony Gonsolin was inserted.

The blueprint nearly disintegrated immediately. May issued two four-pitch walks to begin the game to bring up Marcell Ozuna with two on and none out. May threw Ozuna two strikes. Ozuna hit the second one for an RBI single. The Braves had a lead before the Dodgers had an out.

More damage appeared imminent but May danced around the fire. First, Travis d'Arnaud grounded into a double play. Next, Ozzie Albies struck out swinging through a 100-mph fastball to quash the threat. The Dodgers somehow trailed by just one run.

Los Angeles Dodgers players mob relief pitcher Julio Urias after the final out as the Atlanta Braves bench is shown at the end of the ninth inning in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Dodgers won 4-3. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)

Gonsolin replaced May for the second inning. Dansby Swanson greeted him with a 434-foot home run to double the Braves' edge.

The Dodgers forced Ian Anderson to throw 47 pitches through two innings, but failed to capitalize on opportunities. They stranded a runner in the first and two in the second. The trend was reversed in the third.

Anderson secured two outs with four pitches before issuing an eight-pitch walk to Justin Turner. Los Angeles burst through the opening. Max Muncy lined a double down the right-field line to bring up Will Smith. The catcher, two nights after clubbing a series-changing three-run home run in Game 5, poked a groundball through the right side against the shift for a two-run single.

Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson reacts after completing a double play to get out Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger, top right, at second base to end the fifth inning in Game 7 Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, for the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

The top of the fourth inning went like the top of the first: Gonsolin walked the first two batters and Austin Riley lined an RBI single to center field. Then the Braves' third baserunning catastrophe in three games cost them two outs.

The fiasco commenced when Swanson ran on contact on Nick Markakis' groundball to third baseman Turner. A brief pickle ended with Turner applying a diving tag on Swanson. He turned around to find a gift: Austin Riley recklessly running to third base. Turner calmly threw from his knee to get Riley for a double play. The Braves, deflated, didn't score again in the inning.

A familiar sequence developed in the fifth: Mookie Betts producing a game-changing defensive highlight. In Game 5, he snared a line drive at his feet to start a double play. In Game 6, he robbed Ozuna a run-producing extra-base hit with a leaping catch against the wall. On Sunday, he jumped at the wall to rob what would've been a solo home run by Freddie Freeman.

Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor, left, throws to first for a double play getting Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna out at second base during the first inning in Game 7 Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, for the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)

Nobody had a chance to catch the ball Kike Hernandez crushed in the seventh inning. Pinch-hitting for Joc Pederson, Hernandez fouled off three straight 2-2 pitches before A.J. Minter, two days removed from throwing 42 pitches in three dominant innings, fired a 97-mph fastball over the middle. Hernandez didn't miss and the game was tied on his eighth career postseason home run.

The at-bat was another example of the Dodgers' mantra. Hernandez wouldn't give in. He kept grinding. And he, like the Dodgers, won out.