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10-16-2017, 04:56 AM
LOS ANGELES -- Justin Turner smashed a walk-off three-run homer to dead center off John Lackey with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday night to give the Dodgers a dramatic 4-1 win over the Cubs and a commanding two games to none lead over the defending World Series champions in the National League Championship Series.
"I think it's the first walk-off homer I've ever hit in my life," said Turner, whose blast came on the 29th anniversary of Kirk Gibson's walk-off homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Los Angeles heads to Chicago needing two wins to secure the franchise's first NL pennant since 1988. Game 3 of the NLCS presented by Camping World will take place Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. The Cubs took two of three from the Dodgers at Wrigley Field from April 10-13.
"That was a great game," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I thought our defense was outstanding. We played great defense all over the field. Really entertaining game. They got us in the end. That just happens sometimes."
Cubs reliever Brian Duensing walked Yasiel Puig on four pitches to lead off the ninth, and Puig was bunted to second by Charlie Culberson. Rookie Kyle Farmer, pinch-hitting, struck out. Lackey relieved and walked Chris Taylor before facing Turner, who has nine RBIs in five postseason games this month.
"I'm not saying [Turner is] David Ortiz, but I played with David, and you're talking about big spots and coming up big," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "And J.T.'s that guy for us. Yeah, he just has that pulse where he can just kind of keep his calm and stay within the strike zone. Also just not afraid to fail and just wants to be in that spot. But even that at-bat before, Chris Taylor, that at-bat to grind Lackey and keep the line moving, that was huge as well."
The Dodgers' bullpen that pitched 3 2/3 perfect innings in Game 1 added three hitless innings in Game 2, with closer Kenley Jansen pitching around a hit batter in a scoreless top of the ninth for the victory.
"They're just executing pitches and they're ready when called upon and they're competing," said Roberts. "It's a close-knit group down there. Josh Bard, our bullpen coach, has done a fantastic job with those guys, along with [pitching coach] Rick Honeycutt. And just the preparation. Those guys know exactly what they want to do, and they're going out there and executing."
Addison Russell homered off Rich Hill into the left-field box seats on a 1-2 fastball leading off the top of the fifth inning, his fourth career postseason homer and Cubs-best 19th career postseason RBI. Russell had six RBIs in Game.
The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the inning off Jon Lester on a leadoff double by Culberson (injured shortstop Corey Seager's replacement) and a two-out RBI single by Turner, who was 1-for-21 in his career against Lester before the at-bat.
Hill was lifted for a pinch-hitter after five innings and 80 pitches. Lester, working on short rest for the first time in his postseason career and third time ever, burned through 103 pitches in 4 2/3 innings.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Duensing survives scare: Brought in to get lefties Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson in the bottom of the eighth, lefty Duensing got Bellinger to ground to first, but Duensing dropped Anthony Rizzo's flip. Pederson bunted Bellinger to second and Logan Forsythe was walked intentionally to set up the double play, which Duensing delivered by getting Austin Barnes to ground into a 6-4-3 DP.
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/25...nlcs-lead/
"I think it's the first walk-off homer I've ever hit in my life," said Turner, whose blast came on the 29th anniversary of Kirk Gibson's walk-off homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Los Angeles heads to Chicago needing two wins to secure the franchise's first NL pennant since 1988. Game 3 of the NLCS presented by Camping World will take place Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. The Cubs took two of three from the Dodgers at Wrigley Field from April 10-13.
"That was a great game," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I thought our defense was outstanding. We played great defense all over the field. Really entertaining game. They got us in the end. That just happens sometimes."
Cubs reliever Brian Duensing walked Yasiel Puig on four pitches to lead off the ninth, and Puig was bunted to second by Charlie Culberson. Rookie Kyle Farmer, pinch-hitting, struck out. Lackey relieved and walked Chris Taylor before facing Turner, who has nine RBIs in five postseason games this month.
"I'm not saying [Turner is] David Ortiz, but I played with David, and you're talking about big spots and coming up big," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "And J.T.'s that guy for us. Yeah, he just has that pulse where he can just kind of keep his calm and stay within the strike zone. Also just not afraid to fail and just wants to be in that spot. But even that at-bat before, Chris Taylor, that at-bat to grind Lackey and keep the line moving, that was huge as well."
The Dodgers' bullpen that pitched 3 2/3 perfect innings in Game 1 added three hitless innings in Game 2, with closer Kenley Jansen pitching around a hit batter in a scoreless top of the ninth for the victory.
"They're just executing pitches and they're ready when called upon and they're competing," said Roberts. "It's a close-knit group down there. Josh Bard, our bullpen coach, has done a fantastic job with those guys, along with [pitching coach] Rick Honeycutt. And just the preparation. Those guys know exactly what they want to do, and they're going out there and executing."
Addison Russell homered off Rich Hill into the left-field box seats on a 1-2 fastball leading off the top of the fifth inning, his fourth career postseason homer and Cubs-best 19th career postseason RBI. Russell had six RBIs in Game.
The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the inning off Jon Lester on a leadoff double by Culberson (injured shortstop Corey Seager's replacement) and a two-out RBI single by Turner, who was 1-for-21 in his career against Lester before the at-bat.
Hill was lifted for a pinch-hitter after five innings and 80 pitches. Lester, working on short rest for the first time in his postseason career and third time ever, burned through 103 pitches in 4 2/3 innings.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Duensing survives scare: Brought in to get lefties Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson in the bottom of the eighth, lefty Duensing got Bellinger to ground to first, but Duensing dropped Anthony Rizzo's flip. Pederson bunted Bellinger to second and Logan Forsythe was walked intentionally to set up the double play, which Duensing delivered by getting Austin Barnes to ground into a 6-4-3 DP.
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/25...nlcs-lead/
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