Buster Posey and Kris Bryant were all a big part of the Giants' victory over the Dodgers in the NLDS Game 1. (0:59).
SAN FRANCISCO -- Logan Webb pitched in one of the most dramatic postseason games of baseball, Game 1 of the National League Division Series. He did this by making the Dodgers their worst enemy.
Webb's first postseason appearance was a masterclass. He mixed a diving changeup with a slider, which ran away from right-handed batters and then ran just slightly more. Webb's greatest strength was his ability use the Dodgers aggressiveness and uncharacteristic eagerness for them to stray outside of the strike zone.
After Friday's 4-0 win, Gabe Kapler, Giants manager, said that it wasn't necessarily the stuff. "It was the composure. It was the demeanor. It was the poise on the large stage with an amazing atmosphere. He channeled that energy into his performance."
Webb, 24 years old, was one of the most consistent starters in the Giants' 107 win regular season. However, he has managed to remain anonymous, much like the team he plays on. Webb's performance in Game 1 was remarkable, with seven shutout innings and allowing only four hits while striking out 10.
Only 30 times has a postseason starting pitcher pitched at least 7 1/3 shutout innings, allowed fewer hits than five and struck out 10. Webb, Cliff Lee, Jake Arrieta, and Trevor Bauer are the only four pitchers to accomplish all that, plus zero walks.
Buster Posey, catcher, said that he has three elite pitches. "He has the ability to get guys out of trouble in a variety of ways. It's a recipe that will lead to success, that's certain."
Webb's secondary pitches kept Dodgers off balance, and the bottom four of the Dodgers' orders finished 0-for-12 with seven strikesouts.
Roberts stated, "To be truthful, we just didn’t make adjustments." He had amazing stuff, but we chased too much. Logan deserves credit.
Kapler's decision in Game 1 to choose Webb over Kevin Gausman was mildly surprising, given Webb's dominance in the second half. Gausman had stated before the game that Webby was worthy of it. Webb ended an 11-3 regular season with seven innings of pitching and a home run against Padres in game 162 to win the NL West for the Giants. This clinched the playoffs and sent the Dodgers into the wild-card round.
Kapler stated, "I don’t think there’s any doubt the last game for Logan carried over to this one." "He seems to be using the momentum from the previous start as a kind of propeller for the next."
