The Los Angeles Dodgers’ woes against the San Francisco Giants continued on Sunday, as they fell to their rival by a final score of 4-2 in the finale of a four-game series at AT&T Park. For the Giants, it was their sixth win in 10 meetings against the Dodgers this season.
The Dodgers dug themselves into an early hole and trailed 4-0 entering the top of the fifth inning. Looking for an offensive spark, Cody Bellinger led off the frame with a double into the right-center gap, or triples alley.
At the first crack of the bat, it appeared that Bellinger drove the ball deep enough to warrant taking third base for his third triple of the season. But the 22-year-old was content with a double and nevertheless provided the makings of a potential rally.
However, the Giants escaped unscathed after Austin Barnes struck out, followed by Brandon Crawford robbing Kyle Farmer of a hit and doubling off Bellinger on the same play.
Bellinger was removed from the game in the bottom of the sixth, leading to speculation that he may have injured himself. But that wasn’t the case, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that he benched him for not hustling on his double.
Bellinger defended his style of play but understood Roberts’ decision to pull him from the game, via SportsNet LA:
“I mean, it’s the manager’s decision. You can’t say anything against it. I’ve always played the game hard. I kind of took a big swing on the curveball, ended up on my knee, we’re down four runs, so I’m not trying to make an out on the bases going to third. He saw what he saw, so it’s all good. … I’m going to keep playing the way I do. I don’t think anybody can tell me how to play. I always play hard. I’m always hustling to beat out ground balls, I’m always hustling. I don’t know. It just kind of didn’t make sense to me, but I get it as well. He’s trying to prove a point. For me not hustling, kind of being the young guy, I’ve got to hustle.”
Roberts’ decision to bench Bellinger wasn’t out of nowhere. The All-Star first baseman explained that the Dodgers’ manager talked to him a few weeks ago for not hustling on a pop fly.
Bellinger thought the fly ball would land in foul territory, but it ended up falling fair and he couldn’t turn a single into an easy double as a result.
While some frustration bubbled to the surface, both Bellinger and Roberts said they would quickly move on from the incident.
