#4GameFriday was AWESOME. #Postseason pic.twitter.com/XyP9Y0ccuN
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Giants vs. Dodgers score: Logan Webb's gem propels San Francisco to NLDS Game 1 win
Buster Posey, Kris Bryant and Brandon Crawford all homered in the Giants victory
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants kicked off their anticipated National League Division Series on Friday night in San Francisco. These were the two best teams pretty much throughout the entire regular season, with the Giants winning the NL West with 107 wins to the Dodgers' 106. The Dodgers came in as series favorites, with many people generally believing they have the more talented team. The Giants struck first blood, however, with a 4-0 victory.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Game 1.
Webb's gem
Walker Buehler is going to be one of the top four finishers in NL Cy Young voting. He might even win it. As such, the Dodgers were gambling favorites, albeit slightly, for Game 1. Buehler (6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) certainly was no slouch, allowing barely any threat between the first and seventh innings -- and only getting beat on two home runs from the team that led the league in homers -- but Logan Webb was the star of the night on the mound.
Webb had absolutely everything here. He missed bats. He got groundballs to let his defense help him. The Giants righty induced weak contact at times. He was efficient. Just every single box one might want to check, Webb hit it.
Logan keeps carving them up. pic.twitter.com/SeCIMSap6k
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Leaning heavily on his changeup-slider off-speed combo while mixing in sinkers and the rare four-seam fastball, Webb struck out 10 batters in 7 2/3 scoreless innings without walking anyone. He allowed five hits while getting 12 groundballs compared to just two flies. He did allow more than a handful of hard-hit balls, but most of those were on the ground and gobbled up by his defense (we'll get to that).
In his 7 2/3 innings, Webb only needed 92 pitches. He got 21 swings and misses in addition to seven foul balls.
Posey gets the green light
Half the scoring of the game came in the bottom of the first inning. The Giants had a baserunner on, thanks to leadoff man Tommy La Stella's walk. With a 3-0 count, Buehler tried to slip a fastball by Buster Posey and the Giants legend delivered an opposite-field shot.
After only hitting 12 homers combined between 2018 and 2019, and then opting out of 2020, Posey hit 18 home runs this season in a power resurgence, posting the third-best slugging percentage of his career -- trailing only his Rookie of the Year and MVP seasons. This was his fifth career postseason home run.
Kris Bryant homered in the seventh inning to give the Giants another run of insurance. It was his seventh career postseason home run and, obviously, his first with the Giants. Brandon Crawford added a solo shot of his own in the eighth inning for his second career playoff homer.
The crowd goes KBoom. pic.twitter.com/WliPbrq7ZP
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Giants' team defense
The Giants ranked sixth in baseball in defensive efficiency this season, which measures the percentage of balls put in play that are converted into outs. It's a good team defense measure because it helps account for positioning, range and, you know, actually catching and throwing the ball without making an error.
There was an early throwing error, but after that, the Giants defense was masterful. How about this gem in particular from La Stella and still-underrated defensive shortstop Crawford.
What's next?
Next up is Game 2, which takes place back at Oracle Park on Saturday night at 9:07 p.m. ET. Julio Urías (20-3, 2.96) takes the ball for the Dodgers while Kevin Gausman (14-6, 2.81) is the Giants' starter.
Live updates
Gotta love a #4GameFriday! 🗣️ #Postseason pic.twitter.com/uLySzdCcFN
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Giant start for San Francisco. #Postseason pic.twitter.com/Kzj7DL5Mg9
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
FINAL: Giants 4, #Dodgers 0
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 9, 2021
7.2 IP 🤝 5 H 🤝 10 Ks
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 9, 2021
give us your best Webb pun ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/2ToGzWNXD6
Of note:
Brandon Crawford is 34 years & 260 days old today
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 9, 2021
The only shortstop to homer in the postseason at an older age is 35-year-old Derek Jeter, in 3 games in 2009
This is @bcraw35's house. pic.twitter.com/ep1AMmPiuT
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Brandon Crawford's solo homer stretches the Giants' lead to 4-0. They now have a 98.8 percent chance of winning Game 1.
Webb gem. pic.twitter.com/1LzLftzXod
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Re: Bryant's night:
Kris Bryant is the 3rd player in Giants history with 3+ hits, including a HR, in his 1st-ever postseason game with the franchise, joining:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 9, 2021
1933 Mel Ott
1924 Bill Terry
The crowd goes KBoom. pic.twitter.com/WliPbrq7ZP
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Kris Giant!
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Welcome to October in The Bay. pic.twitter.com/8Mp1ub57VW
Logan keeps carving them up. pic.twitter.com/SeCIMSap6k
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Caught in Logan's Webb. 🕸️ pic.twitter.com/NAu97K9Ia3
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Oh, Webb also has nine ground-outs tonight and no fly-outs.
Webb's through six on just 65 pitches. He's struck out eight, walked none, and given up three hits. Working on a true gem.
.@kikehndez shifted the momentum. 💪 #CarryTheFreight pic.twitter.com/lqxq1EEKtm
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Going into the sixth, the Giants still lead 2-0 and have a 78.9 percent chance of winning Game 1.
Only 8 times in history a team has recorded 20+ hits in a #postseason game.
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 9, 2021
The @RedSox account for 3 of those. pic.twitter.com/pk6i8q095z
20 hits and a W! 🔥
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
The @RedSox send the ALDS back to Boston with the series tied. #Postseason pic.twitter.com/D4oiSlIOHa
there are triangles, there are rectangles, and then there are 𝓇𝑒𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝑔𝓁𝑒𝓈 pic.twitter.com/4cHMVCLuZV
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 9, 2021
Kiké Hernandez joins Hideki Matsui (2004, ALCS Game 3) as the only players in #postseason history with 5 hits, including 4 XBH in a game. pic.twitter.com/MmQk7paoEE
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 9, 2021
5 hits for @kikehndez! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6CDhgBTNqj
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
Absolute WIZARDRY from the Giants' infield. 😱 pic.twitter.com/Kwonl4QxWs
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021
That was a pretty incredible turn by the Giants right there.
Last time Webb faced J. Turner with a man on he induced an inning-ending double play. Can he do it again?
Buster Posey is the first @SFGiants batter to hit a #postseason HR in a 3-0 count since pitch data has been available (since 1988). pic.twitter.com/RvRxGHg32L
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 9, 2021
For the first time in @RedSox #postseason history, they have hit 5 HR in a game. pic.twitter.com/wPc6EtuDAP
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 9, 2021
Hop in! 🛒 pic.twitter.com/HKYMNqvMHI
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2021