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| Kemp finished the game with a flourish. Photo Credit: Daniel Shirey/ USA Today Sports |
A recap of the two wild games that happened in the National League side of the playoff ledger.
By: Michael Hanley
Giants 2, Nationals 1 (18 innings)
The Giants and Nationals played that felt like it would never end as the innings continue to go by one by one until finally Brandon Belt ended this game for San Francisco.
Belt launched a home run into the right field bleachers at Nationals Park to give the Giants a 2-1 win and a commanding 2-0 lead in this NLDS against the Nationals after a game that took 18 innings and over six hours of play to complete. It keeps the winning streak of postseason games going as the Giants now have won ten consecutive postseason games a mind blowing streak to see unfold especially with how much parity there is in baseball these days and just all the things that can change a team's fortune in a postseason game for the worse.
San Francisco used a familiar formula of strong pitching, great defense and timely hitting to once again foil another attempt by the Nationals of getting on the board in this series.
Dodgers 3, Cardinals 2
Matt Kemp has been swinging a hot bat in recent times and that did not stop last night as he rescued the Dodgers with a solo home run in the eighth inning that gave Los Angeles a much needed win and even the series at one a piece with the Cardinals in this NLDS.
Zack Greinke gave LA a terrific start as he shutout the Cardinals for sevens innings, only allowing two hits and striking out seven. Unfortunately that would not be enough for the win as J.P Howell replaced Greinke and promptly gave up a two run home run by Matt Carpenter to tie the game at two. There were certainly some bug time concern after that home run as the crowd at Dodger Stadium got very quiet and did not know what just hit them.
Thankfully Matt Kemp would act as Superman and restore order for the Dodgers and then Kenley Jansen got the save in the ninth to seal the win.
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