The Dodgers beat the Braves in a dramatic 4-3 game on Monday, giving them an NLDS victory along with their first birth to the NL Championship Series since 2009. After the game, the team celebrated with champagne showers in the dugout, and high-fives with fans on the field.
During all the festivities they stopped to talk about the victory and what it means to them to move on to the NLCS:
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Clayton Kershaw, who pitched on three days rest, tried to put aside any worries surrounding him pitching on short rest. "If Donnie wanted me to pitch tomorrow, I would. This is the Postseason. All that other preparation, 'is he going to be ready, is your arm going to be tired?' throw that out the window. It doesn't matter. You just go. It's a one-month sprint."
He was glad that they got to celebrate at home, since they clinched the division in Arizona. "(The fans) want it just as much as we do. It was a special night to get to do it here in LA."
On making it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009: "I think I took (the playoffs) for granted a little bit. My first two years I kind of just thought that always happened, I guess. The last three years of not getting to go really taught me to embrace this opportunity."
And to celebrate, a lot: "It definitely feels good to get to celebrate. You never want to pass those moments up" he said. "You never know when this is going to happen again. You've just got to enjoy it, savor it."
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Apparently everyone, even Don Mattingly, is glad that Juan Uribe did not manage to get the bunt down. "Why am I bunting him? Thats what I was thinking at first, why am I bunting him?" Mattingly said when asked what he thought when he saw the ball come off of Uribe's bat.
The man who ordered the bunt in the first place continued, "As soon as he hit it, I knew it was gone. So instant, kind of craziness. I'm thinking playoffs are so stupid, aren't they? Just crazy. That's what I'm thinking."
"I'm so happy (Uribe) didn't get the bunt down," said A.J. Ellis. Dodger owner Magic Johnson had similar feelings. "Juan…thank God he couldn't put the bunt down."
Uribe was the only one who seemed to be on board, but that was probably just not to throw his manager under the bus. "When they gave me the bunt sign, I'm thinking this is a good time to have a bunt, and I had to bunt and I had to try."
But, he could not get the bunt down and had to get the ball in play. "So the one thing is the pitcher they can't beat me. They can't beat me and I need to do my job. Try to move the runner and they gave me a hanging breaking ball, see the ball, and hit it."
See the ball, and hit it. Yep, Juan sure did that. He hit the ball...far.
It was a marquee day for Uribe. "This moment today, I'll never forget. You know, I see a lot of people are watching this game, and I feel great. I feel good for myself. I feel good for my teammates. We wanted the win today."
The Dodgers will face the winner of Game 5 between the Cardinals and Pirates in the next round. That game will be played on Wednesday and the NLCS will begin Friday.
