October 21, 2021
1. The Dodgers are starting to deflate
They won Game 3 in a miracle comeback sparked by the Bellinger home run, they have another home game the very next day, and they lose in a blowout to go down three games to one.
As the faith, in Los Angeles, suddenly vanishes.
Things are not going well. And if they lose tonight, the season is over.
2. Conversely, Eddie Rosario is now the star of a Braves team on the brink of making the World Series
He’s never been an All Star. He only came to the Braves in late July (and only played in about half of the games). And now, on a national stage, he’s the guy.
Last night, he hit two home runs and a triple. Four hits total. Including an absolute dagger of a three-run shot in the ninth, to take a seven-run lead and put the Dodgers away for the night:
3. The rest of the highlights from Game 4 of the NLCS
It was a solo home run party early, at Dodger Stadium, as the Braves took a quick 3–0 lead over Julio Urias:
And then the game wore on, the Braves tacked on more, the Dodgers tacked on just about nothing — and suddenly the buoyant, thrilling fun of the previous night was gone, pickpocketed, lifted up with smiles in the opposite dugout.
Braves win, and they’re up 3–1 now in the NLCS.
4. The Red Sox lose Game 5 of the ALCS and David Ortiz lit his pick on fire
Burn, baby, burn. Boston Inferno.
5. The highlights from the game were dominated by Astros starter Framber Valdez
The Red Sox have scored just three runs in the past two games now, after exploding to put up twelve in Game 3 — as none of it quite makes sense, with the Astros now on the brink of heading back to the World Series (winning last night 9–1).
And he got a little meditation nap in, too.
The full game highlights are here on Youtube:
6. The quote of the night: Chris Sale
He was fired up. And pitched well, but just not well enough to win — two earned runs over 5.1 innings, and seven strikeouts.
7. The catch of the night: A fan in the crowd at Fenway
The one highlight Red Sox Nation can applaud.
8. A mysterious light stopped play at Fenway Park last night
More shenanigans, many were thinking, between the two teams best known to take shortcuts around the rules.
9. Randy Arozarena’s brother started at goalkeeper in a pro soccer game in Tampa Bay last night
And Randy was there to watch too, at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete.
More on the brothers:
10. Updates from the world of major-league beards
A brilliant observation:
11. A good listen if you’re bored and baseball hungry this afternoon
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on the Dan Patrick Show this morning:
12. And lastly, Game 5 of the NLCS is tonight at 8:08 ET
It could be the last game of the year for the Dodgers, after a well-over-100-win season, a seemingly destined path to a rematch with the Astros in the World Series — or it could be the start of the comeback.
Bullpen game vs. Max Fried.
