Dodgers blow lead then drop game five as season ends

The Dodgers were pushed to the brink of elimination by the Nationals and they could not hold on to a 3-0 lead, seeing their season end.

The Dodgers came into game five of the NLDS feeling very confident.  Their start reflected that as they got off to a 3-0 lead.  Max Muncy hit a two run home run and Enrique Hernandez followed with a solo shot in the second inning.  Walker Buehler pitched fantastic, Clayton Kershaw escaped a jam in the seventh inning.  Then the game began to unravel.

In the eighth inning, Clayton Kershaw did not record a single out and gave up back-to-back home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto.  The Nationals’ two stars came through while Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager went through the entire NLDS without driving in a single run.  While neither have the negative playoff stigma attached like Clayton Kershaw, they will need to perform better next October.

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Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless ninth inning but was ineffective in his second inning of work.  After walking Adam Eaton, Anthony Rendon doubled so the Dodgers intentionally walked Juan Soto.  Then Howie Kendrick essentially ended the game and series on his game winning grand slam.

The two positives from game five were the performances of Max Muncy and Walker Buehler.  Buehler pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave the Dodgers everything they could’ve wanted in a game five start.  Max Muncy homered and became the first Dodger ever to hit three home runs in two different postseasons, which he accomplished last postseason as well.

This was the Dodgers’ earliest postseason exit since 2015 when they were ousted by the New York Mets.  That series also went five and ironically ended with a Howie Kendrick strikeout.  This series essentially ended on the grand slam that was hit by Howie Kendrick.

To all the readers, thanks for following along all season long.  There will be plenty more on this NLDS series in the coming days as well as content all off-season.  The Dodgers’ season may be over but there is still plenty of topics to review and talk about before the hot stove season starts up.