Dodgers News: Chris Martin Gets a Souvenir from First Career Postseason Save

Dodgers reliever Chris Martin got his first career postseason save on Tuesday, and he got a keepsake to help him remember it every time he cleans his garage.

The Dodgers' closer-by-committee approach got its first postseason test on Tuesday night, and it passed with flying colors.

Julio Urias pitched four outstanding innings, but after stumbling in the fifth inning and allowing the Padres to shrink L.A.'s lead to 5-3, it was time for the bullpen to spring into action.

Evan Phillips pitched the sixth inning, getting into a little trouble after a walk to Juan Soto and an infield single by Manny Machado. Phillips escaped with no damage done by getting a strikeout and a double play grounder.

Alex Vesia the next five outs, and Brusdar Graterol came in and threw one pitch to get Machado to fly out to end the top of the eighth inning.

That set the table for Chris Martin, who had pitched in 14 postseason games in his seven-year career but never the ninth inning. Martin induced a comebacker from Josh Bell and a groundout to short by Wil Myers. After a bloop single by Jake Cronenworth, Martin got Ha-Seong Kim to fly out to left to end the game, securing Martin's first career postseason save.

After the game, as Jim Alexander reports in the Orange County Register, the game ball showed up in Martin's locker, encased in plastic.

“I didn’t (ask),” he said. “It just showed up. Magically appeared.”

Of course it did. Your first postseason save is a memory that deserves to be cherished and remembered, and the Dodgers know that. Martin, for his part, has big plans for the ball.

#Dodgers Chris Martin got the game ball as a souvenir from his first postseason save. He has big plans for it. "It'll probably end up in the garage with everything else."

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 12, 2022

Could this be the plot for a Sandlot sequel? Only time will tell!