One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever see... One is the Dodgers magic number to clinch the NL West after defeating the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night 4-2. One was also the number of fights that took place on the evening between the two teams, as there was a bench-clearing brawl in the bottom of the 1st inning.
Justin Turner took Giants starter, Madison Bumgarner, deep twice in the game and the Dodgers took him deep twice in the first inning as they finally defeated a pitcher that has had their number for most of the season.
Bumgarner hit Yasiel Puig in the left foot and the Cuban sensation collapsed to the ground for a few seconds before getting up and charging after the man known as “Mad Bum.” Bumgarner accepted the challenge as he threw his glove to the ground and yelled, “Bring it on!” at Puig.
“He looked at me and said, ‘what are you looking at?’,’” said Puig after the game. “So I reacted after he made that comment.”
The two players have a history of bad blood that dates back to May of this year when Puig hit a deep home run off Bumgarner and then decided to take his time rounding the bases. When he touched home plate, Bumgarner was there waiting for him and had some choice words for the young power hitter. Clearly he still harnesses some hurt feelings.
Justin Turner lead off the game with a deep home run to left field, his sixth home run of the year and his first ever career lead off home run. It was the second of the season for the Dodgers as Dee Gordon hit one earlier in the year. Before the game, Dodgers manager, Don Mattingly talked about his decision to start Turner in the lead off spot.
“This (Bumarner) is a lefty that creates a different matchup and a different angle and is really tough on the guy (Dee Gordon) so I’m gonna go with Turner tonight.”
Bumgarner hit the next batter he faced, Puig, who immediately got off the ground and charged the mound. Benches cleared and tensions were heated, as Hanley Ramirez had to hold back Puig and calm him down.
After a fly out to Gonzalez, Matt Kemp gave himself a birthday present with a two-run home run to deep center. Kemp had his 30th birthday on Tuesday and the Dodgers helped him celebrate by knocking around Bumgarner for three runs and four hits in the first inning. Bumgarner is normally good against Los Angeles has he was 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA at Dodger Stadium going into the game.
“That was a good birthday gift getting a home run and getting the win. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday than that, but I’m 30 though, dang!” said Kemp
Mad Bum helped out his own cause with a two-run home run in the third inning. It was Grienke’s first home run of the year given up to a pitcher and even more surprising than that, Bumgarner was trying to bunt early in the at bat. Essentially, he was giving the Dodgers a second out. Once Greinke got Bumgarner in an 0-2 hole, he was given the green light to swing away and hit a lazer shot to left, his 4th of the year, the most by a Giant since 1934.
“The scouting report going into the game was that he had no hits on off speed, so I threw him a bunch of off speed. When he first hit it, I thought it was going to hand in the air and be an out, but that shows you how strong he is to be able to hit a home run. I was amazed.” Said Greinke.
The highly touted pitching duel took over from there, as both pitchers were brilliant throughout the middle of the game. Dodgers starting pitcher, Zack Grienke, won his 16th game of the season, going 8 strong innings, allowing six hits, and only two runs. He also had 5 strikeouts to give the Dodgers the much needed victory.
Other than the first inning, Bumgarner was equally as efficient going 7 and 1/3 innings with 6 hits and 5 strikeouts. His Achilles heel was the long ball on the night, especially from Dodgers utility infielder, Justin Turner. Turner hit his second home run of the night in the bottom of the 8th inning to almost the identical spot he hit his home run in the first inning. It was Turner’s second ever multi-homer game, his first coming in 2011 with the New York Mets.
“I’ve been trying all year not to roll over to third on that ball (a breaking ball), I finally got it up in the air and that was the result I was looking for.” Said Turner about his second home run.
Clayton Kershaw will take the mound on Wednesday night for what could be an NL West clinching victory for the Dodgers. It would also be Kershaw’s league leading 21st victory of the season if he can get it.
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