With Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, and Joe Kelly all on the injured record, Los Angeles Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts opted to make use of Michael Grove within the ninth inning in opposition to the San Diego Padres on Friday. Roberts hoped Grove’s success in opposition to right-handed batters would carry over.
Los Angeles went on to lose the sport 2-1 on a walk-off hit by Padres’ Luis Arraez.
“It’s powerful,” Roberts mentioned. “I hate making an attempt to make use of that as an excuse. However when you’ve gotten three leverage guys not collaborating you’re making an attempt to present guys alternatives. I believed Blake was nice at present and I felt good the place Michael was at with that a part of the lineup, bleeding into the highest. It simply didn’t work out.”
Grove gave up a leadoff double to Luis Campusano, struck out Ha-Seong Kim, after which surrendered a single to the left-handed Luis Arraez who scored pinch-runner Tyler Wade. It was a big gamble for Roberts to stay with Grove in opposition to the two-time batting champion relatively than stroll him and take his possibilities in opposition to Fernando Tatis Jr. or Jake Cronenworth.
“It’s a must to sort of take into consideration Arraez versus Tatis and (Jake) Cronenworth,” Roberts mentioned of the following two hitters within the Padres’ lineup. “You’ve obtained to decide. For me, I simply felt that, if we might pitch Arraez rigorously, we get an opportunity to get to Tatis. I wasn’t going to concede Arraez to get to Tatis and produce (up) Cronenworth. Each these guys have been swinging the bats rather well and are actually good hitters. You sort of decide your poison proper there. Simply didn’t work out.”
Arraez lined the primary pitch he noticed from Grove up the center and was celebrated as a hero in his first house sport as a member of the Padres. Los Angeles will look to even up the collection within the second sport with the primary pitch scheduled for five:40 p.m. PT.
Picture Credit score: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports activities
Have you ever subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to remain updated on all the newest Dodgers information, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and extra!
