The Dodgers and Giants were the two best teams all season long, winning 106 and 107 games respectively. They are also the bitterest of rivals, with a hatred that traveled 3,000 miles from its origins in New York, all the way to California.
So it is fitting that the first time they have ever met in postseason play is turning out to be the best of all the Division Series. Tuesday night, facing a must-win, the Dodgers won 7-2 and have sent the NLDS back to San Francisco for a fifth and deciding game.
All year long baseball “experts” were waiting for the moment that the Dodgers would bypass the Giants and take over first place in the National League West, where they have dominated for nearly a decade. That never happened, as each time the Dodgers made a run, so did the Giants.
Dodgers vs. Giants Overview
The postseason might be a repeat of that same dance. The Giants, stifling the L.A. offense, took a 2-1 lead on Monday night by pitching a shutout. But Tuesday the Dodgers battled back, and now we go up north to see if the Giants have an answer.
The offensive heroes for the Dodgers were Mookie Betts, who drove in three runs, and Will Smith and Cody Bellinger, who had two RBI each. On the mound it was Walker Beuhler, pitching on short rest for the first time in his career.
Walker Beuhle
“It’s not something we want to do all the time,” said Buehler, “but I felt that if things didn’t go our way [in Game 3], I would feel pretty weird not pitching a game that could lose the series.”
Walker Buehler only gave up a single run and left the game in the fifth inning with a lead that the Dodgers would never relinquish. With Max Scherzer now on the team, and Clayton Kershaw a long-time Dodger ace, it is Buehler that owns a 1.25 ERA when the Dodgers are facing elimination. That is the third-highest mark in MLB history for pitchers who have made three elimination-facing starts.
Game 5 is Thursday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Oddsmakers set the MLB odds as flat for the game, with both sides lined as -105.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants MLB Odds by BetUs
| Team | SP/RL | TOTAL | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | +1½ (-250) | 6½ (-125) | -104 |  |
| Giants | -1½ (+210) | 6½ (+105) | -106 | |
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Braves Await the Winner
The Braves are moving on to the NLCS after closing out the Brewers on Tuesday. It was an unlikely finish to Game 4 that put Atlanta into its second straight championship series. Not unlikely that it was Freddie Freeman hitting the game-winning home run. He’s the reigning National League MVP. Unlikely, in that the game-winning home run came off Brewers uber-closer Josh Hader, who was making an abnormal appearance in the eighth inning.
The Braves then turned to their closer, Will Smith, to secure the win and the series.
For Hader, it was the first home run he had given up since July 28, and the first home run he’d given up to a left-handed batter in more than 13 months.
The hero, Freeman, was basking in the moment:
“I’ve had a lot of cool moments in my career, but so far I think that’s going to top them right there. But hopefully, that’s not the last one.”
Braves Betting Trends
Freeman was lights out in the NLCS last year. The Braves lost to the Dodgers in seven games, but Freeman was 9-for-25 (.360) with two home runs and six RBI. Perhaps he’ll get another chance during that series to add another “moment” to his career.
Advancing to the NLCS certainly boosted the Braves’ World Series odds, but they still sit in last place among the five remaining teams at a +550 price tag to ship the entire thing.
Astros to Face Red Sox in ALCS
Delayed a day because of bad weather, the Astros have now joined the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. The result felt inevitable from the beginning, as Houston thoroughly dominated the game, winning 10-1. This will be the fifth straight ALCS appearance for the Astros.
The Yankees played in four straight ALCS from 1998 to 2001, and the Oakland A’s played in four straight from 1972 to 1975. But Houston is the only team to make it this far in five straight seasons in the American League. In the National League, the Braves played in five straight from 1995 to 1999. If you don’t count the 1994 postseason that didn’t happen because of the player’s strike, the Braves played in eight consecutive NLCS.
Red Sox at Astros Betting Trends
The Red Sox and Astros begin the best-of-seven series on Friday night in Houston. The BetUS Sportsbook shows the AL Pennant series odds favoring the Astros at -155, while the buy-back price on the underdog Red Sox is +125.
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox Odds by BetUs
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Astros | -155 |
| Red Sox | +125 |
