National League Division Series I – October 8-14, 2021

National League Division Series I

San Francisco Giants (1 – 107-55, .660) vs.
Los Angeles Dodgers (4 – 106-56, .654)
Best-of-Five Series

Dodgers win series 3-2,
advance to their 6^th NLCS in 9 years

PRE-SERIES CONTENT

➤ With 107 regular season wins (best record in baseball), the Giants beat their franchise record, to win the AL West title. The defending World Series Champion Dodgers tied theirs, at 106. The Dodgers had won the AL West every year since 2012, the year that the Giants went on to win the World Series in a four-game sweep against the Tigers.

➤ The Dodgers-Giants rivalry extends all the way back to New York in 1884—a quarter century before the dawn of the modern baseball era—when the Brooklyn Dodgers played at Ebbets Field, and the New York Giants played at the Polo Grounds, in Upper Manhattan. Both clubs moved to California in 1957. The National League owners voted unanimously to allow the moves, on the condition that that both clubs relocate at the same time.

Top moments in Dodgers-Giants rivalry

Dodgers-Giants rivalry on MLB Now

Dave Roberts on facing the Giants in the NLDS

Evan Longoria and Mike Yastrzemski on NLDS vs. the Dodgers

NLDS I – GAME 1

Dodgers 0 – Giants 4
WP: Logan Webb (1-0, 0.00) | LP: Walker Buehler (0-1, 4.26)
MLB Headline:
Webb’s gem leads Giants to Game 1 victory

PRE-GAME CONTENT

Walker Buehler on Dodgers momentum going into NLDS

Logan Webb on pitching Game 1

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND POST-GAME CONTENT

Homegrown starter Logan Webb pitches brilliantly, striking out 10 with no walks (5 H) in 7⅔ scoreless innings. Watch highlights from mlb.com:

Gabe Kapler on Webb’s performance

Giants Game 1 battery – Buster Posey and Logan Webb

Analysts on Logan Webb’s stellar start on MLB Tonight

Will Smith and Walker Buehler on shutout loss

NLDS I – GAME 2

Dodgers 9 – Giants 2
WP: Julio Urías (1-0, 1.80) | LP: Kevin Gausman (0-1, 6.75)
MLB Headline:
Belli brings LA bats to life in Game 2 win

PRE-GAME CONTENT

Julio Urías on pitching in Game 2

Kevin Gausman on starting Game 2

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND POST-GAME CONTENT

Dodgers starter Julio Urías helps his own cause and opens the scoring with an RBI single, in the 2^nd. Multiple epic defensive plays, on both sides! Giants catcher Buster Posey sets new club record for most postseason hits (54). Watch game highlights from mlb.com:

Analysts on Dodgers’ defense in Game 2 on MLB Tonight

NLDS I – GAME 3

Dodgers 0 – Giants 1
WP: Tyler Rogers (1-0, 0.00) | LP: Max Scherzer (0-1, 1.29)
MLB Headline:
Pitching, defense lead Giants to Game 3 win

PRE-GAME CONTENT

Alex Wood on getting the start for Game 3

Max Scherzer on starting Game 3

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND POST-GAME CONTENT

Max Scherzer comes through, as Dodgers offense gets shut out

On a cool and unusually windy night in LA, a gust of wind knocks Max Scherzer off balance

Max Scherzer on impact of wind and Game 3 loss

NLDS I – GAME 4

Giants 2 – Dodgers 7
WP: Joe Kelly (1-0, 5.40) | LP: Anthony DeSclafani (0-1, 10.80)
MLB Headline:
Dodgers’ stars rise to force decisive Game 5

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND POST-GAME CONTENT

Walker Buehler on “asking” to pitch Game 4

Walker Buehler and Mookie Betts on big win

Gavin Lux and Will Smith post-game presser

Dave Roberts on huge Game 4 victory

Gabe Kepler on Game 4 loss and must-win Game 5

NLDS I – GAME 5

Dodgers 2 – Giants 1
WP: Kenley Jansen (1-0, 0.00) | LP: Camilo Doval (0-1, 2.45) | Max Scherzer (1)
MLB Headline:
Dodgers finally overtake Giants, reach NLCS

PRE-GAME CONTENT

➤ Dodgers announce day-of that Corey Knebel will open Game 5, rather than the scheduled starter, Julio Urías. Presumably, Urías will take the mound at some later point and pitch for as long as he remains effective.

Analysts look ahead to win-or-go-home Game 5 on MLB Tonight

A look at the Game-5 Urías-Webb faceoff on MLB Network’s FastCast

Logan Webb on starting Game 5 on MLB Tonight

Dave Roberts on do-or-die Game 5

Gabe Kepler talks Game 5

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND POST-GAME CONTENT

Logan Webb again pitches brilliantly through 7.0 innings, giving up 1 R/ER on 4 H (1 BB, 7 SO). The Dodgers, in contrast, deployed an opener-short-reliever-long-reliever-bullpen pitching strategy. Mookie Betts goes 4-for-4. In top 9^th, with the score having been tied at 1 since the 6^th inning, Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger knocks the game-winning RBI single, scoring Justin Turner (reached on HBP). The expensive and accomplished Max Scherzer closed, for the first save of his long career. But it was an ugly ending for a great season for both teams and a great division series. In bottom 9^th, with two outs, and Giants outfielder Kris Bryant on 1B (reached on E5), on an 0-2 count, Giants second baseman Wilmer Flores is called out for a clearly checked swing that was not even close to an actual swing. Terrible way to win. Watch game highlights from mlb.com:

Mookie Betts on his big 4-for-4 night and advancing to NLCS

Max Scherzer on his first career save, advancing to NLCS

Cody Bellinger on rough season and game-winning RBI

Dave Roberts on Game 5 win and advancing to NLCS

Darin Ruf and Logan Webb on NLDS loss to the Dodgers

Gabe Kepler on Wilmer Flores’ checked swing and Game 5 loss

Mark DeRosa breaks down NLDS Game 5 on MLB Network

Brian Kenny on Dodgers use of an opener in Game 5 on MLB Network