Dodgers decision to intentionally walk Francisco Lindor backfires, a breakdown
What Happened
The Los Angeles Dodgers face off against the New York Mets in a crucial game of their National League Championship Series. It's the top of the second inning, and the Mets hold a 2-0 lead with two outs. Shortstop Francisco Lindor steps up to the plate for the Mets, having already hit a home run earlier in the game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts makes the decision to intentionally walk Lindor, loading the bases for Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. Vientos steps in, and Dodgers pitcher Andre Jackson throws him a slider that misses the strike zone. Jackson tries another slider, which Vientos fouls off. The count goes to 2-1 as Jackson continues to work the slider, trying to get Vientos to chase. On the 2-2 pitch, Jackson goes with a fastball right down the middle, and Vientos absolutely crushes it, sending the ball soaring over the outfield fence for a grand slam. The Dodgers' strategy to intentionally walk Lindor has backfired spectacularly, as the Mets extend their lead to 6-0. As Vientos rounds the bases, the Dodgers dugout and fans react with a mixture of shock and dismay. Pitcher Andre Jackson throws up his hands in frustration, knowing he made a critical mistake by leaving that fastball over the heart of the plate. The Mets dugout, meanwhile, celebrates the big hit that has put them firmly in control of the game. "As soon as it got hit, I said, 'Oh, just 95, nice and straight down the middle,'" Jackson says after the game. "Bam, it's gone." The grand slam has turned the momentum of the game firmly in the Mets' favor, as they look to even the series and hand the Dodgers their second straight loss. For the Mets, it's a validation of their decision to intentionally walk Lindor, while for the Dodgers, it's a tough lesson in the risks of that strategy backfiring.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentthe Mets are trying to even the Series
and win game two they've got a two
nothing lead there's two Runners on base
there's two outs it's the top of the
second inning and lindor's coming up he
homered to open the game Robert sees him
and says ah nah hey hey
him put him on first they intentionally
walk Lindor they intentionally load the
bases this breakdown is brought to you
by Seiki by the way they intentionally
load the basis for Vientos and he said I
took that personal first pitch from
Knack is a slider under the Zone first
ball then another slider fouled down the
line he's early on it that's the first
strike he's going to come back with a
slider up that's fouled back now you got
him two strikes he's excited the fans
are excited is this guy wearing a
styrofoam cup holder as a visor is that
a four cup styrofoam holder as a visor
that he cut the middle out of the back
and now is upside down that's awesome
and this is a move I think more dads and
people should be doing all the time
because that is just hot hot hot and I
think he knows it let's get that out
fast ball up top and you can see by the
reaction from Knack he wanted that one
he went slider slider slider he thought
he had him slowed down he could blow the
fast ball above the Zone it's a very
common sequence and it's fouled back and
he's like damn that's what I wanted to
do so he goes back to the slider and he
doesn't swing at that one goes back to
the slider in the zone and he fouls that
one out of play two and two back to the
slider to get the swing and miss and the
Chase and he doesn't chase that one H
okay what do I do now VI's like yeah
what do you do now come on fan are
thinking what's he going to do now
another slider in the zone another foul
ball so he's went slider slider slider
forcing fast ball slider slider slider
slider and viento says proven he's going
to lay off the slider out of the zone
and kind of just spoil the slider in the
zone so they're thinking all right let's
throw a fast ball but that also kind of
shows you that he might be sitting fast
ball they go with the 3-2 fast ball
right down the middle and that is hit
far and long and it is a grand slam the
intentional walk backfires and as soon
as it got hit Knack said
oh just 95 nice and straight on a line
down the middle bam gone did the Dodgers
fans catch the Home Run of course not
no hey they've been having a tough
postseason catching home runs damn just
on a line This Woman's prayers not
answer but Mendy's yep he's excited yeah
Mark Roberts is thinking oh okay yeah
not
good thank you very much this breakdown
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