Dodgers Video: Andre Ethier Provides Spark With Leadoff Triple
The Los Angeles Dodgers resembled the team they were through much of the first two months of the season — relying on strong pitching (both from their starter and bullpen) and timely hitting to combine for the recipe to success.
Zack Greinke turned in six shutout innings and was followed by Yimi Garcia and Luis Avilan, who combined to throw three scoreless innings for a bullpen that’s been plenty battered and maligned recently. Yasiel Puig led the Dodgers and tied a career high with five RBIs — first hitting a two-run home run in the fourth, then a bases-clearing three-run triple in the fifth.
While Puig’s night drew plenty of attention and grabbed headlines, his fourth-inning home run came after Andre Ethier provided a spark in a game that was tied at 0-0 to that point. Ethier drove a Joe Ross pitch over Michael Taylor’s head in center field that landed on the warning track and bounced off the fence.
The ball caromed back over Taylor’s head, giving Ethier the opportunity to stretch the double into a triple. Taylor threw a rocket to third base, with the ball beating Ethier to the bag and home plate umpire CB Bucknor ruling he was out.
“That ball beat me for sure,” Ethier said after the win. “But, I felt like I got my leg underneath it. He [Yunel Escobar] tagged me high.” Replay showed Escobar’s tag indeed was too high on Ethier’s leg and the Dodgers successfully challenged the call.
Ethier acknowledged the Dodgers “got away with win” and added the play generated some momentum. He also said the decision to attempt for a triple was his given the ball was hit in front of him and expressed some surprise by Taylor’s arm strength, which Dodgers manager Don Mattingly also echoed.
