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Dodgers Lose on Tough Extra Innings Error by Trea Turner

Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way in baseball. And sometimes, you have a guy playing out of position resulting in an extra-innings loss to your division rivals. That was the case for the Dodgers on Friday night in San Francisco. 

Going into extras yet again, the Dodgers went with the offensive approach and ended up with Will Smith playing first base. Yes, that Will Smith. The same Will that has not played first base since a college scrimmage game, according to him after the game. 



What followed was a throwing error from Trea Turner that arguably should have been caught. Smith came off of the bag on the throw and the Giants walked away with the game 1 win.  After the game, Turner talked about the Dodgers’ loss and the bad throw to Smith. 

It sucks obviously. We’re playing for a division and these are the guys that we have to track down and beat. So these games are big. It was a battle tonight, a long battle. Just unfortunate we couldn’t come out on top. That play could have given us another chance. I need to make that play.

Smith has played some third base in his big league career, but he’s obviously strictly a catcher. The Dodgers backstop did say after the game that he didn’t feel like it was something he was incapable of. 

I feel athletic enough to go play any position on the field. Tonight, they needed me to go over to first base. I wasn’t too out of place over there. Yeah, I’m not a major-league first baseman but I still feel like I can do what’s needed to be done.

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Nothing that can be done now, the Dodgers lost and are now down a game in the NL West. Win the rest of the series and all will be forgiven. 

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23 Comments

  1. With score tied in top of 9th with two outs with Muncy already out of game, should Pujols have pinch hit for Bellinger? Problem with this move is that if Pujols makes 3rd out on top of ninth and game goes to 10th Pujols is runner on 2B to start 10th and Roberts now has 2 choices both of which are not good – if you pinch run for Pujols (which makes sense) then you have no one left to defend at first base – if you don’t pinch run then you have an extremely slow runner representing potential GP ahead run – my point is that Roberts does a lot of good things but IMO he overmanages at times – yes Trea Turner’s throw was high but if Bellinger is first baseman – with Bellinger’s height and reach that’s the third out instead of winning run

    1. I concur with those points. That is at least the 3rd instance I’ve seen where Pujols has been the gift base-runner in extra innings. Very poor strategic managing, when trying to win an extra-inning game. Pujols is not the best asset for late-inning defense in a close game, either.

    2. It’s almost as if special powers control the games. That ending was too perfect after that move

    3. Good point. Cody Bellinger was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts (just another day in the office for him). It was clutch situation, had Cody struck out again, it would have crushed his confidence. Dodgers fans would have be all over Cody the next day. Instead Roberts picked Pujols to be the scapegoat, give Pujols credit, that would have been a hit if he was ten years younger. But the bottom line is they ran out of pitchers, that double switch put Will Smith on 1st lost the game. I don’t understand why Dave Roberts made that move. How many times did Smith play 1st this year? You’ve got the series that could determine the season, and yet Doc decided to gamble with another weird move. Normally teams don’t put shorter players on 1st, you always need that extra inch or two advantage to beat the runner. In this case if Pujols was still at 1st, it would have been an out. Regardless, give the Giants credit, they played tough all night, I wouldn’t blame Dodgers relievers, they did a he’ll of a job, even Evan Phillips, that kid held his own under immense pressure situation, let’s see if Dodgers bats can come alive again tonight.

  2. Dave Roberts “Managerial Malpractice’ raises its’ ugly head yet again…..

    What will it be today? Another ‘spa day’ for a regular, then have Billy ‘.158 as a Dodger’ start in RF after an extra inning game last night?

    LA fans patience is really being tested right now by Roberts continual very questionable moves.

  3. Putting Smith on first was logically enough and Turner has to make the throw. I don’t blame Roberts for the substitution. What I didn’t understand was why wait for Pujois to reach third before replacing him? Had Pollock singled instead of flying out does Pujois score?

    1. That will be struggle for the rest of the season. Also Pujols would have outran the throw to 1st in the 9th if he was younger, Dodgers would have had the lead going into bottom of the 9th. Yes, his speed is an issue and will be moving forward. But they need him for pinch hitting.

  4. Absolutely, IF Belli was on 1st, I also believe that the 3rd out would have happened, but, alas, he was not. Still, Roberts did an overall decent job of managing last night. It was our Dodgers’ offense that was problematic with the exception of Trea, JT and Seager.The Giants’ pitcher (with something like a 9.0+ ERA against Dodgers this season before last night’s game) basically shut us down. Now our defense, despite a few of our relievers struggling, did a very good job of preventing the Giants from scoring, especially with bases loaded. The Giants left a lot of players on last night and former Dodgers Jake McGee (uncharacteristically) gifted us in the 9th. Despite our loss, the Giants have been looking as if they are finally running out of steam, and we need to capitalize off of that. Although a loss is a loss, the game went into extra innings and we were not dominated by any stretch of the imagination. Hopefully, Urias and Buehler give us their best and our offense comes alive early in the next two games against the Giants bullpen. Go Dodgers!

    1. Right on about the inept offense as the main reason Dodgers lost again but it also points out the problem arising out of Price not being able to start. Like Smith said he can handle 1st base if need be and being a gold glove there is not needed or expected. It kept him in the game.

  5. I agree that Will Smith is best option for first base once you pinch run for Pujols – my point is that in the top of the ninth with score tied and two outs there is a much greater chance the game will go to extras as opposed to Pujols or Bellinger getting a two out
    hit in ninth – but we are much better positioned in extras w Bellinger being base runner at second base to start 10th and Bellinger playing first base – plus you still have Pujols on bench to pinch hit

  6. This is the third game that I’m aware of where a Trae Turner throwing error from 2B resulted in a Dodgers loss….

  7. That play @ the end was highlighted because it cost the game but there were other issues the Dodgers gave the game away. CT3 throwing the ball through w/ no cut man (Smith being late to be in position), allowing Crawford to 2nd base, could’ve had a DP on the next grounder hit. JT, twice making outs going to home. If he the go on contact, he needed to get a better jump before contact. W/ infield half-way, he needs to be more aggressive before contact instead of reacting after, follow how Mookie does it. Also, I’m surprised JT being a veteran not knowing that the back runner is out w/ two runners out on the same base. He started to walk off the base and the game could’ve been lost. Another thing, JT, if the ball is not fielded deep fire the ball on the fly to 1st. One hopping the ball @ regular depth give more chances of a mishandled ball which happened to extend the inning. These are some of the physical and mental mistakes that can not happen in this kind of game. Everything else is we can all just second guess and be monday morning quarterback, but not physical and especially MENTAL mistakes.

  8. Robers overmanaged into a loss…..the offense let us down again in this one…..the offense needs to stay in the game for the entire game! Leaving bases empty and leaving base runners on base means “a loss”!

    1. Hate to say it but Will Smith cost the dodgers the game. Twice failing with less than 2 outs and a runner on 3rd. Then not judging the throw from turner. His glove was straight up, no stretch especially after Turner made that dazzling scoop to pick that ball…Smith also NEVER throws anyone out so there’s plenty of finger pointing for the loss.I’ll give Smith a mulligan though he has been a incredible offensive catcher and won plenty of games over his time here..

    2. This game loss was all on the team not executing. They beat DeSclafani the last time w/ the long ball, but he and Posey adjusted and the Dodgers didn’t thinking they could do the same. Holes were wide open for situational hitting but the Dodgers were going long ball…only Seager and Trea had the right idea.
      As far as leaving the lineup in, look @ what Kapler did in the 4th; he PH Wade Jr. the no. 4 hitter for Slater because of lefty/righty situation and he came through. The difference is they executed and the Dodgers didn’t on offense, defense, and giving up walks in the extras.

  9. When..When!!! will the can Roberts… just tell me When!!!! is front office blind!!!!

  10. WORDS ESCAPE ME IN DESCRIBING ROBERT’S DECISIONS IN LAST NIGHTS GAME. WITH THE LEAD GOING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE 9TH, WHY YOU WOULD REPLACE JENSEN IS MIND BOGGLING.

    HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES WERE LOST TO PINCH HIT WITH BEATTY WERE LOST DURING THE GAME WHILE HE IS EXILED TO OKC.

    WE WILL NEVER MAKE IT THROUGH THE PALYOFFS AS LONG AS ROBERTS IS THE MGR.

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