Dodgers Advance to NLCS After Controversial Finish
Of course the epic Dodgers-Giants National League Division Series had to end in controversy. And, of course, a former New York Mets infielder had to be at center of attention….
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 14: Wilmer Flores #41 of the San Francisco Giants strikes out on a checked swing for the final out of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning in game 5 of the National League Division Series at Oracle Park on October 14, 2021 in San Francisco, California. The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Of course the epic Dodgers-Giants National League Division Series had to end in controversy. And, of course, a former New York Mets infielder had to be at center of attention.
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants last night 2-1, winning their epic back-and-forth Division Series three-games-to-two to advance to the NLCS for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The Dodgers will face the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night in Game 1 down in Atlanta.
Around 12:30 a.m. ET, the Dodgers had just grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a Cody Bellinger RBI single. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to bring in one of his starters, Max Scherzer -- the former Washington Nationals All-Star, and future Hall of Famer, to close the game out.
From complete games, to no-hitters, to a World Series championship in 2019 with the Nationals, Scherzer had never closed out a game as a reliever in his career. With Kris Bryant on first base thanks to a fielding error by Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, and two out, all Scherzer needed was to retire former Mets infielder Wilmer Flores to send LA back to the LCS.
He did just that.
Sort of.
Flores appeared to have checked his swing on a slider outside the plate on 0-2, but was wrung up by first base umpire Gabe Morales, who said that Flores didn't check his swing. Of course if you watched the game, you would have seen that Flores checked. It should have been a ball and a 1-2 count.
Morales has been ravaged on social media ever since.
To be fair to Morales, trying to make that call from the first base bag in a pressure situation at game speed is not easy. Even if a ball were called, there is no guarantee that Flores gets on base. Scherzer could still strike him out on the next pitch. It's the ultimate "what if" moment. It's the ultimate beauty of baseball: the human element.
Of course check swings are not reviewable in Major League Baseball. Don't be surprised if that might change. This will be a hot topic for sure come the Winter Meetings in December, and of course, during CBA negotiations which are to heat up this offseason. Remember that baseball has been flirting with the idea of robotic umpires for few years now. Thursday's Game 5 will only intensify that argument.
