Teoscar Hernández takes Dodgers fans on rollercoaster with game-saving hustle play

The National League Division Series has proved to be Teoscar Hernández's world, and Los Angeles Dodgers fans are along for the wild. Hernández was the hero of the Dodgers' Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies (saving himself from being a villain), and he followed that up with a sequel performance on Monday night that put Dodgers fans in a glass case of emotions.

The Dodgers and Phillies were locked into a pitcher's duel during the early innings of Game 2, and it seemed that Hernández's lack of hustle reared its head at the worst possible time.

In the fourth inning, Hernández hit a dribbler back to Jesus Luzardo. Henonchalantly ran toward first base, assuming that Luzardo was going to make a clean play and throw over to Bryce Harper. Instead, Luzardo misplayed the ball before making a last-ditch attempt to get the ball to Harper. Considering the last thing Hernández could be bothered with in that moment was running to first base, the Phillies were still able to make the out in time.

Baseball purists immediately would've pointed to that play and suggested that Dave Roberts remove Hernández from the game, following the old adage of wanting to send the right message to the clubhouse. And, perhaps, if this were Justin Dean making that attempt, then, yes, a change would have happened. But, with it being Hernández, a superstar on his best day with a flair for the dramatic, he stayed in the game.

Fortunately, baseball purists are often wrong.

Teoscar Hernández redeems himself with jaw-dropping play to save Dodgers

And, just like he did on Saturday, Hernández rewrote the script before the game was completed. This time, it was due to the very thing he lacked in the fourth inning: hustle.

In the seventh inning, Kiké Hernández, with Teoscar on third base, hit a dribbler to Trea Turner that didn't even make it out of the grass. Far from the ideal situation that was created in the fourth inning, but the 32-year-old outfielder defied logic and his previous effort, putting up a mesmerizing base running play.

The Dodgers now are in the driver's seat against the Phillies, taking Games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia. They've somehow avoided disaster, usually at the hands of Hernández, and found a way to etch out dramatic victories, thanks to that same frustrating yet heroic veteran. Only time will tell what Hernández has in store when the series comes to Los Angeles on Wednesday in a closeout opportunity.