Dodgers-Padres on Wednesday night was one of the craziest games of 2021

Six hours. Sixteen innings. A Los Angeles Dodgers victory. They’re the second team to reach 80 wins in 2021.

That’s not how many pictured this series against the San Diego Padres going, given how poorly the division rivals were performing.

But credit to them because they fought in these first two contests … though it still wasn’t enough. The Dodgers have won the series and are now going for the sweep on Thursday.

But we have to talk about Wednesday before anything else. It was arguably the game of the year when you break it down.

First, we had a pitcher’s duel between Walker Buehler and Blake Snell.

Then we had a lengthy battle of the bullpens, with the Dodgers’ unit once again holding down the fort in admirable fashion.

Dodgers-Padres on Wednesday night was absolutely insane.

Did you stay up past 1:00 a.m. PST? If you did, you likely saw Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel balk on purpose TWICE before giving up the game-tying home run to Fernando Tatis Jr. in the 15h inning. What?!

We thought this was over after Billy McKinney knocked in two runs in the top half of the frame.

There were two total runs scored through the first 14 innings. And then … six in the next two! Buehler lasted 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run, while Snell went 7.2 frames and allowed one. They combined for a ridiculous 18 strikeouts. These teams on the evening combined for a total of 34 Ks!

Nineteen pitchers were used. Twenty-six position players were used. There were 14 total hits and 14 total walks. Only three players had more than one hit: Cody Bellinger, Will Smith and Justin Turner. And we have AJ Pollock to thank for ending it … or else we might still be awake watching the 29th inning. What a way to go 1-for-7!

Dodgers win, 5-3.

Pollock’s contributions can’t go unnoticed, either. He’s been the Dodgers’ hottest hitter over the past month and a half, upping his average from .245 to .303 and OPS from .731 to .876. Are you kidding?! He’s got 15 multi-hit games since the second week of July.

One more game to fully bury the Padres, who are now 15 games out of first place. Max Scherzer on the hill Thursday night. Let’s just get this one done in nine innings, shall we?

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