Drama in the 9th: Andy Pages Outlasts Mason Miller in Classic ‘Baseball Cinema’ Showdown

A thrilling, high-velocity duel that reminded us why we love the game.

 Originally Published at Dodgersbeat.com

SAN DIEGO — Game Two of the first of four regular season series between the Padres and Dodgers was epic. Game One night before was a tense one run affair between elite starting pitchers Michael King and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The only blemish on the scorecard that night was Miguel Andujar‘s first inning homer that proved to be the difference. Game Two, however, felt less like a mid-season matchup and more like a thrilling, back-and-forth mid-October battle. In the end, the Dodgers secured a massive blow against San Diego’s powerhouse closer, Mason Miller. It was a heavyweight battle between the Dodgers’ early-season offensive MVP, Andy Pages, and arguably the most dominant relief pitcher in the sport.

What transpired in the top of the ninth was pure baseball cinema—resulting in what Freddie Freeman later described as one of the best at-bats he has ever witnessed.

Facing the Unhittable

With the game knotted at 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Padres called upon Miller to keep things quiet and set up a walk-off opportunity. The Dodgers had the heart of their order due up: Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Pages.

Miller had looked surprisingly human the night before, starting his outing erratically by throwing just one strike in his first 10 pitches and walking two batters before locking it down. But don’t let that brief blip fool you. Miller entered this game sitting at the top of nearly every statistical category for an MLB reliever: a minuscule 0.82 ERA, a jaw-dropping 18.5 K/9, and a perfect 15-for-15 in save opportunities. He had also recently lost a 34.2-inning scoreless streak dating back to last August several weeks ago—a Padres franchise record and the 8th longest streak by a reliever in baseball history.

Will Smith kicked things off with a gritty, seven-pitch battle. Miller peppered him outside with his trademark fastball/slider combo, including two heaters clocking in over 101 MPH. Smith eventually flew out to right, bringing up Max Muncy. Muncy showed his elite discipline, working a six-pitch walk by laying off everything outside the zone. And, in perhaps the biggest ABS challenge of the season so far, Muncy was able to convert strike three into ball four, securing the walk and a critical baserunner.

Sensing the moment, Dave Roberts immediately subbed in Alex Call to pinch-run for Muncy as the potential go-ahead run.

The Blunder and The Battle

With Andy Pages stepping into the box, the tension peaked. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Call took a massive lead off first base, clearly looking to swipe second. Miller turned and fired a pickoff attempt—but he completely sailed it into right-field foul territory. The errant throw allowed Call to fly all the way around to third base. It was a brutal error for Miller; in reality, a softer, more accurate throw likely would have caught Call dead to rights.

With the go-ahead run now just 90 feet away, Pages still had a monumental task ahead of him. What followed was a legendary war of attrition.

Pages fought off pitch after pitch, spoiling five fastballs over 100 MPH and racking up six foul balls. It was the absolute best hitter in the National League right now squaring off against the league’s best pitcher, and it did not disappoint. Pages ultimately won the battle, driving home the decisive run with a shallow right field fly that featured a close “call” at the plate, shocking Miller, and shifting the balance of power in the NL West right back to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers have a chance to take the series later tonight in a highly anticipated rubber match, featuring Shohei Ohtani on the mound against San Diego’s Randy Vasquez. Grab your popcorn.