LOS ANGELES — For a moment, the world yielded to Juan Soto. The PadresRight fielder watched as his right hand was raised and raised. Max Muncy’s fly ball hung in the October night. Will SmithAs Muncy snuck behind him up the first base line, he waited in between first and second.
As Soto ran over to catch the ball as if it was his, the ball instead crashed off the right-field wall. Muncy was able to only watch as Smith reached second and then broke for third base.
“It was too late to make my decision,” Muncy said.
“The deke got him,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Soto’s deft maneuver.
The Dodgers had created their best chance of night, a chance for them to erase an early deficit and push the Padres further to the brink. These are the chances this lineup has been built for – waiting, waiting, waiting and then overwhelming their opponents by closing all escape hatches.
They were unable to close the door on Wednesday except for a 5-3 defeat in Game 2 in the National League Division Series.
As Muncy placed himself at first base, the bullpen door opened and Padres reliever entered. Robert SuarezThe triple-digit heat helped to calm the situation and allowed for freedom.
