Justin Turner Joining Postseason Legends

Posted by on Oct 16th, 2017

Justin Turner, the Dodgers third baseman is taking his place amongst postseason baseball legends following his accomplishments this postseason and in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Turner’s career batting average in the postseason is .377 after having 2 hits in 4 at bats in Game 2 with 4 RBIs. In his 23 career postseason games, Turner has 4 home runs and 22 RBIs.

In two games against the Cubs in the NLCS he is batting .375, with 1 home run and 5 RBIs, while he hits .461 the Los Angeles sweep of Arizona in the NLDS.

In the 2015 NLDS he had 10 hits in 19 at bats with six doubles and last season in the 2016 NLDS he was 6 for 15 against the Nationals.

The only series he had not batted well in the past three postseasons is last year’s NLCS against the Cubs when he was just 4 for 20 or .200.

Charlie Culberson has scored in both games for the Dodgers and made a perfect bunt during Game 2. He is also hitting .400 and only hours prior to Game 1 on Saturday he learned of his grandmother’s death.

The bullpen for the Dodgers has been almost perfect. During the postseason, in 19.2 innings of work, the bullpen has allowed just 8 hits, while striking out 19 and walking just 2. The postseason bullpen ERA is 1.37.

For anyone who may have missed it. The Dodgers won Game 2 of the NLCS over the Cubs 4-1 on Turner’s walk off three-run home run on the 29th anniversary of a hobbled Kirk Gibson stepping up to the plate and belting a home run of Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley.

Dodger Stadium shook from the applause and jumping up and down of the 54,479 fans celebrating while Turner rounded the bases.

Los Angeles now holds a 2-0 series lead and will head on Monday to Chicago where they can close the defending World Series champions out with two wins at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs bullpen has becomes the team’s weak spot and once again a reliever, in the form of veteran starter John Lackey, was on the mound and gave up Turner’s big homer.

Chicago fans are wondering why manager Joe Maddon went to Lackey for the second time in two games, while his closer Wade Davis ready in the bullpen. Maddon says that Davis was available only in a save situation.