“The impossible has happened”

Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully said it best:

“In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened.”

He was, of course, referring to Kirk Gibson‘s historic walk-off home run in Game-1 of the 1988 World Series that turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 Dodgers walk-off win. The Dodgers would go on to win the World Series in five games.

They haven’t won one since.

But if what we witnessed this past weekend at Dodger Stadium is any indication, that may very well change.

By now every Dodger fan – and baseball fan – on the planet knows that the Dodgers accomplished something that has never happened before in the 150-year history of Major League Baseball and, in all probability, will never happen again; they hit three consecutive walk-off home runs.

That in and of itself actually has happened before. But was has not happened before is that all three walk-off home runs were by a different Dodgers rookie – the first by Dodgers rookie utility infielder/outfielder Matt Beaty on Friday night, June 21, 2019; the second by Dodgers rookie outfielder Alex Verdugo on Saturday night, June 22, 2019; and the third by pinch-hitting Dodgers rookie catcher Will Smith on Sunday afternoon, June 23, 2019.

When Matt Beaty and Alex Verdugo hit back-to-back walk-off home runs on Friday and Saturday nights respectively, it was ‘improbable.’
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA and Fox Sports)

Of the three walk-offs, Sunday’s by Smith was unquestionably the most unlikely … sort of. The 24-year-old Louisville, KY native had arrive at Dodger Stadium around 6 am that morning, having received his (second) call-up late Saturday night. He told reporters prior to Sunday’s game that when he arrived at the Dodgers clubhouse, he sacked out for a little while but was up and ready to go by 9 am.

But it’s that ‘sort of’ thing that sent 50,023 home from Dodger Stadium (and countless millions of television viewers and radio listeners) into absolute hysteria. For reasons that only he knows (and must live with for the rest of his life), Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black elected to intentionally walk Dodgers 14-year MLB veteran catcher Russell Martin (and his .260 batting average) and take his chances with Smith, who was on-deck to pinch-hit for Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. Apparently Black didn’t get the memo from Rockies scouts that Smith was hitting .291 at Triple-A Oklahoma City and had hit six home runs in his last seven games this past week for the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate.

Oops.

When Will Smith hit his walk-off home run on Sunday afternoon to put he, Beaty and Verdugo into the Dodgers and MLB history books, it was ‘impossible.’
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Worthy of note is that Beaty led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single off the glove of Rockies second baseman Ryan McMahon. He then advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Rockies right-hander Scott Oberg. This turned out to be a game-changer. Although Oberg managed to strikeout Dodgers replacement shortstop Chris Taylor for the second out of the inning, it left first base open, which Black decided to have Martin occupy on the intention walk. The rest, as they say, is history.

It was every bit an improbable / impossible win for the Dodgers.

…and a historic one.

Play Ball!

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4 Responses to ““The impossible has happened””

  1. This is something you can’t predict, but I’m sure many fans were thinking, “WHAT IF?” when Smith came to the plate. I’m sure it was on all of us minds. I know I was thinking, “It coudn’t happen”, but low and behold, IT DID. It’s unbelievable but he hit it.

    • Ron Cervenka says:

      When Martin stepped up to the plate, I said to Matt Moreno from Dodger Blue 1958, who was sitting next to me in the Vin Scully Press Box, “Roberts should pinch-hit Smith right here.” I then saw Bud Black hold up four fingers and said (way too loud in the so-called ‘unbiased’ press box) “This is exactly what I was hoping for!” I also posted on Twitter: “You don’t suppose….”.

      Voila.

  2. Manuel says:

    And THAT’S why Smith needed to come back from AAA! Not for the walk-off moments (that was a flat-out bonus, to be honest), but for the fact that this year’s Dodger roster is incomplete at the core without him in particular. Going into the postseason with Barnes and Martin behind the plate? Uh-uh, you need a LEGIT championship-caliber backstop to put this team over and Smith just about checks off all the boxes on that list. Front office should already be planning to ship one of those two out (additional farm depth or slot money would be nice in exchange) to make sure Smith stays up for the duration. It’s not even up for debate in my eyes after what we all just witnessed over the past few days…

  3. Folks, does anyone think they would dare send Will Smith back to OKC again once Freese returns? My answer is there are other s that can be moved off the roster. And BTW Will Smith gave me a great 65th Birthday gift with his walk off HR. It made my birthday yesterday complete.

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