Phillies' Rob Thomson explains decision to bunt as Dodgers' perfectly executed play snuffs out rally

The Los Angeles Dodgers held on to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in Monday night's Game 2 of the National League Division Series (box score). With the victory, the Dodgers gained a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five series, putting them one away from advancing to their fourth NL Championship Series in the past six years. 

The Dodgers can credit Game 2's outcome to a variety of factors -- Blake Snell's outstanding start; some timely hitting; and the continued struggles of the top of the Phillies lineup -- but one aspect became the talk of postgame media availability: the successful wheel play Los Angeles ran in the top of the ninth to record the first out of the inning.

Or, as manager Dave Roberts said after the game: "[For] me, that was our only chance, really, to win that game in that moment."

For those who didn't see, the Dodgers entered the ninth inning leading by a 4-1 margin. The Phillies quickly cut into that lead thanks to three consecutive hits by Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, and Nick Castellanos. Just like that, the Phillies had the tying run on second base with none out. With lefty-swinging infielder Bryson Stott due up, the Dodgers went to their bullpen, replacing right-hander Blake Treinen with lefty Alex Vesia.

That's when the Dodgers infield, and shortstop Mookie Betts in particular, suggested to Roberts that they run the wheel play -- that is, a defensive alignment where the third baseman will charge the ball, the shortstop will cover third, with the first baseman trucking it to second and the second baseman taking over at first base -- in the event that Stott lay down a bunt toward third.

Sure enough, the Phillies had Stott push a bunt with a 1-0 count toward third base, as a means of advancing Castellanos to third base and setting up a potential sac fly situation. That's not how things played out, however. Instead, third baseman Max Muncy and Betts combined to nail the lead runner, changing the entire dynamic of the inning.

"There's things you do in Spring Training that never come throughout the regular season," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "And the wheel play that we pulled off on that bunt, that was picture perfect by Max and Mookie. I want to throw that out there. I know we might overlook that. But that was huge getting that guy out."

The Phillies' win expectancy was halved on that play: dropping from 45.1% to 21.5%, according to FanGraphs. That effect was felt by the players, even if they may have been unaware of the exact probabilities. 

"That changes everything that inning," Muncy told reporters.

Thomson, for his part, said that he decided to have Stott bunt because of the left-on-left matchup, among other factors. 

"I liked where our bullpen was at based on, as compared to theirs," he explained. "We play for the tie at home."

The Phillies would see the batter after Stott, pinch-hitter Harrison Bader, deliver a single in an attempt to rekindle the rally. A fielder's choice put runners at the corners with two down for Trea Turner. Alas, Turner grounded out to end the game, closing out a Dodgers win and preserving a spot in the highlight reel for their well-executed wheel play.