The Los Angeles Dodgers were seemingly unfazed by manager Dave Roberts serving a one-game suspension Saturday night, as they went on to shut out the San Diego Padres, 8-0. The Dodgers did so behind home runs from Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Chris Taylor.
Holding a 2-0 lead when the fifth inning began, Seager and Turner connected for back-to-back home runs off Dillon Overton. Taylor then crushed a grand slam in the seventh inning to put the game well out of reach.
The home run was Taylor’s 10th this season and MLB-best third grand slam. The Dodgers as a team lead the Majors this season with seven grand slams.
While the trio did the heavy lifting for the offense in an 8-0 victory, the most excitement was provided by Rich Hill. Not because of his seven shutout innings and career high-tying 11 strikeouts, but because of what the 37-year-old did at the plate.
Hill’s grounder up the middle in the fourth inning kicked off Erick Aybar’s glove and went for an RBI single. The hit was Hill’s first since 2009. “I think the ball found the bat, that was it,” he joked.
“There wasn’t too much skill involved there. It was fun to be on the bases and fun to contribute in that department.” Hill’s night with the bat did not end there, however.
With two strikes he got into a crouch and began to move toward the front of the batter’s box. The unconventional approach paid off, as Hill slapped a single into left field. The multi-hit game was the first of his career.
“Sheer entertainment,” was how Turner described watching Hill at the plate. “You can’t take your eyes off him. He’s crouched down, moving up in the box, trying to bunt, trying to slash, he looks like a big Little Leaguer. The guys in the dugout were laughing.”
Hill said postgame was presented with the ball from his RBI base hit.
