The Los Angeles Dodgers live to fight another day! What seemed like a dire situation in the final inning took an unexpected turn that ultimately helped the Dodgers stay alive in the postseason.
It all started when Roki Sasaki accidentally hit Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk, sending him on base with no outs. With postseason hero Addison Barger stepping up to the plate, the Dodgers needed a break — and they got one.
Barger sent a fly ball soaring deep into the outfield, perfectly positioned between left fielder Kike Hernandez and center fielder Justin Dean. Given the ball’s trajectory, pinch runner Myles Straw looked poised to dash home.
However, the unexpected happened: the ball became lodged underneath the outfield fence. The hit was eventually ruled a dead ball, and Barger was awarded second base. More importantly for the Dodgers, Straw stayed put at third instead of attempting to score.
That crucial break proved to be exactly what the Dodgers needed to close out the Blue Jays. Just a few plays later, the Dodgers turned a clutch double play to secure the win and earn a chance at Game 7.
After the game, Justin Dean explained his awareness of the situation. “I was just trusting the rule is the rule and trusting that ball will fit into the description,” he told reporter Arash Markazi. Dean’s heads-up play was key because had he tried to dislodge the ball from underneath the fence, the play would have continued.
In that time, Straw could have easily scored, and Barger might have advanced further. Instead, once the umpire blew his whistle to signal a dead ball, the play was halted, and the Dodgers preserved their lead.
Dean’s smart decision essentially saved the Dodgers a critical run and helped keep their postseason hopes alive.
https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/how-justin-dean-might-have-saved-dodgers-season