The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the San Francisco Giants in their series opener on Friday with a baffling loss in extra innings filled with Mookie Betts making multiple mental errors.
Down by two runs heading into the bottom of the 11th inning, Michael Busch was the ghost runner placed on second base. Betts hit an infield popup that Giants third baseman Casey Schmitt allowed to drop, which started madness.
Jakob Junis rifled the ball into right field, but Betts, already rounding second base, didn’t look up to see that Busch hadn’t advanced past third. It led to an easy out, taking away the threat of Freddie Freeman knocking in two with a base hit.
“I just thought the overthrow, I just thought wrong,” Betts explained after the Dodgers’ loss. “I saw the play wrong and I was wrong. I did it wrong and as it’s unfolding, I mean, just bad timing. You know, we hadn’t been playing great.
“Well, we’re playing alright, things just haven’t really fell our way. It’s just another one of those things, kind of kicked us while we’re down. I got to be smart in that situation.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t outright put blame on Betts, but recognized the six-time All-Star made a mistake.
“I didn’t get a good look at the replay, but I think Mookie assumed that Dino (Ebel) was going to send Busch, and he put his head down,” Roberts said. “I know Mookie knows that if you’re the trail runner, you’ve got to keep your head up.”
Mookie Betts takes blame for loss
Earlier in the game, following Freeman’s game-tying single in the bottom of the ninth inning, Betts was thrown out trying to steal third base. The decision was questionable, with Will Smith up at the plate, needing just a base hit to possibly win the game.
“I was just trying to make another play, and I messed up again,” Betts said. “I messed up again. I take full ownership. They made a good play. I was just trying to get to third on Doval, tough pitcher there, trying to make it a little easier for Freddie and Smitty, but messed up.”
Roberts called Betts’ attempt to steal third base a “smart play” that simply didn’t pan out for the club because of a strong effort by the Giants.
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