The Los Angeles Dodgers are taking a 2-0 National league Division Series lead back to Dodger Stadium for a potential closeout game on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers stole two games at the raucous Citizens Bank Park, with both games coming down to the wire.
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The Dodgers scored five runs across the sixth and seventh innings of Game 1 to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 5-3 lead. In Game 2, LA had a 4-0 lead after a four-run seventh, but went to their shaky bullpen that almost blew the game.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Dodgers went to right-handed reliever Blake Treinen, who gave up three consecutive hits and two runs to bring the tying run into scoring position with nobody out. Then, the Dodgers brought in the left-hander Alex Vesia, who was tasked with stopping the Phillies’ momentum.
With the left-hander Bryson Stott up to bat, Phillies manager Rob Thomson put on the bunt sign. Stott laid down a perfect bunt, however, the Dodgers ran the wheel play to perfection, and got the lead runner out at third.
While the Phillies got another hit and ended up having the tying run 90 feet away, LA was able to get the final two outs and escape with a 2-0 lead.
While some challenged Thomson for his decision to bunt, Dodgers All-Star third baseman Max Muncy — who made the throw to Mookie Betts covering third on the wheel play — defended the bunt.
Read more: Phillies’ Rob Thomson Called Out For Bunt Decision in NLDS Game 2 Loss
“That’s the most no-brainer bunt situation I’ve ever seen,” Muncy said Wednesday on Foul Territory. “You have no outs, guy on second base, lefty-lefty matchup — and not just lefty-lefty matchup, you’re talking about with Vesia an extreme fly ball, strikeout pitcher. Like the ball doesn’t get hit on the ground with Vesia.”
Muncy added: “That’s just an obvious bunt situation. And he laid down a great bunt. I just happened to be five feet away when he was doing it. And if I’m not crashing when I crash — if I’m a split-second late — he’s safe at third. Like it was a great bunt. That’s 100 percent the right baseball play. There’s no questioning that.”
If the Dodgers didn’t run the wheel play to perfection, the Phillies easily could have had the tying run 90 feet away with nobody out. However, LA’s defense made the play, and Roki Sasaki came in to get the final out and send the series back to Los Angeles with the Dodgers up 2-0.
