Game #5: San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (04/08/2016)

Fresh off of a dazzling 12-6 victory on Thursday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants entered AT&T Park on Friday night with the sole desire of securing yet another victory and pulling ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West Standings.

Tonight’s game would feature twelve-year-veteran starting pitcher Matt Cain, and, making his MLB debut, rookie starting pitcher Ross Stripling.

With Buster Posey receiving a well-deserved rest, San Francisco would turn to reserve catcher Trevor Brown this evening, in hopes that he would assist in production for a currently sizzling-hot offensive Giants’ squad.

As the game progressed, however, neither the Dodgers nor the Giants seemed capable of producing the astounding offensive figures which had been present in yesterday’s contest.

In the first four innings, Los Angeles merely connected for two hits and a four-pitch walk off of Giants’ starter Matt Cain.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco offense was completely blanked by rookie sensation Ross Stripling, who didn’t allow a single base-runner until the bottom of the fourth inning.

Finally, in the top of the fifth, the Dodgers were able to produce offensively for their phenomenal pitcher, striking once on an A.J. Ellis single, and then again on a Corey Seager center-field bloop.

Los Angeles 2, San Francisco 0.

The game would then proceed rather uneventfully, aside from the rising attention which quickly encircled the Dodgers’ young phenom atop the mound. 

While Matt Cain departed after six innings of quality work, Ross Stripling continued his excellent evening.

With the eighth inning now in full swing, and Los Angeles still leading 2-0 courtesy of an impossible effort from their rookie talent, Dodger fans across the nation were all but certain that their young star was destined to become the first pitcher since Bumpus Jones of the 1892 Cincinnati Reds to throw a no-hitter in his MLB debut. 

And though Josh Osich escaped a near-disaster situation with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning, Giant fans everywhere were despondent – not only was San Francisco about to be shutout by their arch-rivals, but they weren’t even able to muster a single hit?

But then came the bottom half of the eighth inning.

When Angel Pagan drew a one-out walk, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts made his very first mistake of the evening – removing Ross Stripling in the midst of a no-hitter, due to his pitch count of “100” and the dreadful thought of potentially losing grip on yet another “sure” victory.

However, with Ross Stripling’s untimely exit (he was five outs away from a no-hitter!). . . came Chris Hatcher’s untimely entrance.

The Dodgers’ relief pitcher joined the game and swiftly served up a two-run blast to Giants’ reserve catcher Trevor Brown, who had not only broken the Los Angeles collaborative “no-hit” effort, but had also managed to even the score at 2-2.

Later in the inning, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts would be ejected for senseless pillory of the home plate umpire – the momentum of the game had now clearly shifted in San Francisco’s direction.  

And though it would take extra innings, Brandon Crawford’s smash of a solo-shot to left field would serve as a walk-off home run for the Giants this evening, as they rallied to overcome the Dodgers by the score of 3-2 in 10 innings.

Ultimately, a plethora of bad breaks would lead to a “no-decision” for Ross Stripling, and another frustrating loss for a Los Angeles club that cannot seem to shake the omnipresent “Even-Year” dominance of the San Francisco Giants.

Los Angeles would finish with nine hits tonight, while San Francisco would finish with only two hits (both of which were enormous home runs), and yet another significant victory over their greatest nemesis.

Cue Madison Bumgarner vs. Clayton Kershaw tomorrow afternoon.

FINAL SCORE: Giants 3, Dodgers 2.