CLINCH WATCH 2021 – Dodgers Two Games Back – 9/8/2021

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CLINCH WATCH 2021 – Dodgers Two Games Back From Giants – 9/8/2021

Dodgers Rally Cut Short By Silly Rules Of Baseball

The Dodgers really could have used 28 outs tonight, but 27 left them with a 5-4 deficit and Pujols on-deck for what could have been a beautiful St. Louis story.  Instead, the Dodgers drop two games behind the Giants and the Cardinals move to 70-68.  So close to So Nice.

I love Mitch White and his cheekbones, but I think the kid does better with an opener.  It’s an opinion based on a hunch and very little data, but an opinion I have nonetheless.

Adam Wainwright pitched a hell of a game, allowing only two runs in the first and the eighth, separated by several 1-2-3 innings.  His nasty breaking balls absolutely disappear over the plate and an already struggling Dodger offense was flummoxed. In a completely unrelated note, I really miss a certain flame-haired, flame-throwing pitcher right about now…

Mad Max the Road Warrior did make an appearance with Muncy’s 31st homer in the 8th, which opened the door for a 9th inning almost-enough rally.  Several players have been called the Dodgers bellwether, but I still maintain that it’s Muncy.

One more game in St. Louis, then the Boys head home to face the Padres.  The game at 10:15 AM PST which I’m pretty sure is a baseball crime.  Not the worst violation this year, but still a chargeable offense.

Side note: On the broadcast, Joe Davis spoke about the Rawlings company, which started in St. Louis.  If you’d like to know more about early baseball gloves and follow along with a huge glove restoration project I’m working on, head on over to the Historic Glove Restoration Project.

Giants Vs. Rockies

In Denver, the Giants and Rockies both went scoreless for four innings until Colorado pitcher Jon Gray singled in Elías Díaz in the fifth off of Anthony DeSclafani.  That’s the kind of pitcher on pitcher violence I crave.  Two more Rockies crossed home that inning.

Unfortunately, in the top of the 6th, the Giants put up three themselves.  And then four in the 9th.  Brandon Crawford, who was the only Giants starting player to not score in the previous game, put up three runs himself.  LaMonte Wade, Jr., and Evan Longoria each put up two.

The Giants win 7-4, are the first to 90 wins, and after an off day tomorrow face off against the Cubs in Chicago. Go Cubs.

Padres Have Breakout Second Inning

It was a bullpen day for the Angels, and the Padres scored early and fast, batting around and putting up eight runs in the second inning.  Angels pitching managed to put up zeros after that, but the damage was done. Wrongfully blasphemed and totally vindicated former Dodger Yu Darvish held the Angels to just one run through six innings.

Angel bats did put up four more runs against relievers, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Noted MLB-touted rivals the San Diego Padres improve to 74-65, having won six of their last ten games.

Diamondbacks Are Still A Team

Rangers beat them 8-5, lowering the Diamondbacks to a .321 win percentage, the worst in MLB.  I lay the blame squarely at the feet of their thoroughly mediocre stadium DJ. And maybe messy ownership and severe mismanagement on several levels, but definitely the DJ, too.

If you know any D-back fans, maybe buy them lunch.

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