After Phil Bickford loaded the bases in just 12 pitches in the seventh inning Thursday night, the Dodgers’ 6-4 lead was suddenly under major threat. The Dodger bullpen had been, often rightly so, maligned for much of the season because of their spotty performances late in games, and it seemed that Thursday night’s game would be yet another loss chalked up to poor relief pitching.
Ryan Brasier, who had a spotty start to the season himself after being released by the Boston Red Sox, was invited to take over for Bickford and inherit perhaps the least desirable situation for a reliever: bases loaded, no outs.