Cavaliers Now

Chris Taylor Hits Three Home Runs, Carries Dodgers to Game 5 Win

The former UVA baseball star homered three times and had six RBIs to lead the Dodgers to an 11-2 win in Game 5 to stave off elimination

Matt Newton

Have yourself a night, Chris Taylor.

In an elimination game against the Braves in Game 5 on the NLCS, the Dodgers had their backs up against the wall right away as Freddie Freeman hit a two-run home run to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

LA’s chances of staving off elimination took an immediate hit and the Dodgers needed a player to step up to give themselves a chance.

That player was Chris Taylor.

After A.J. Pollock cut the Atlanta lead in half with a solo shot in the bottom of the second, Chris Taylor delivered a two-run home run deep over the left field wall to give the Dodgers the lead.

With runners on first and third in the bottom of the third inning, Taylor delivered another huge hit with an RBI single to center field to extend the Los Angeles lead to 4-2.

Then, in the fifth inning, Taylor crushed the ball to deep right-center for another two-run home run.

In just three at-bats from the second inning to the fifth inning, Taylor drove in five runs to give the Dodgers a commanding 6-2 lead.

Taylor was already having the night of his life when he came up to plate in the 7th inning. With one swing of the bat, Taylor made it one of the most memorable playoff performances in recent baseball history as he hit a solo home run to left-center field for his third home run. 

Taylor became the first player in MLB postseason history to hit three home runs in an elimination game. 

The Dodgers went on to win 11-2 to force Game 6 and send the NLCS back to Atlanta.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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