The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied late but fell short in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers entered the bottom of the ninth trailing by three runs and had struggled to get anything going offensively for most of the game. However, they found some life against Padres closer Robert Suarez as Will Smith, Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández hit three consecutive singles to begin the inning.
Miguel Rojas then hit a sharp grounder to Manny Machado, who stepped on third base and fired it to second baseman Jake Cronenworth, who then threw over to first baseman Donovan Solano to turn an unprecedented game-ending triple play.
With that, the Padres became the first team in MLB history to clinch a postseason berth on a game-ending triple play.
“Yeah, definitely a tough one for myself tonight. I feel like I got an opportunity to get the ball down early in that at-bat, but couldn’t get the job done there,” Rojas said after the game.
“Then, just because the way that they were playing defense, I thought it made sense for me to swing the bat there. I’m totally confident that I can get to a fastball.
“Unfortunately, I hit it on the ground, and it’s been tough for me the last couple days. I haven’t been able to get the job done, but definitely this one, especially for me, I think I let that team down in that one.”
Rojas said he got the bunt sign on the first pitch of his at-bat, but the Dodgers let him swing away due to Machado playing in at third base.
“Manny at third was in, and (Xander) Bogaerts was cheating toward third base. So if I make a hard bunt like I’m supposed to toward third base, they probably get the out there,” Rojas explained.
“So they let me hit in that situation right there and I got a fastball in. I handle that pitch well, but I just hit it hard, right into the ground. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the job done.”
It was a frustrating ending for the Dodgers, who went just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.
Dave Roberts: Dodgers didn’t capitalize with RISP
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he did not consider having Rojas bunt due to the Padres’ defensive alignment.
“No, no. It’s first and second base, nobody out. Certainly, the tying run is on first base. You bunt into that play, the first baseman was out,” Roberts explained.
“I just don’t think that you’re expecting a triple play. He hit the ball hard, and I just can’t play the game of if it gets through, then it’s a great play, and then if it hits right at them, then it’s a bad play.
“It just the game tells you what to do, and in that situation, everyone’s playing in. The shortstop is in the six-hole, and there’s just a lot of holes out there. So that’s just kind of the way you play baseball.”
The game-ending triple play was even more unfortunate considering Shohei Ohtani would have batted next.
“Yeah, I mean, there’s less than a 1% chance that Shohei doesn’t come up to bat. And unfortunately, that small percentage came into play,” Roberts said.
Roberts also echoed Rojas and said the Dodgers simply did not capitalize on their chances to score. “I think that’s just kind of the tale of tonight,” he began.
“We just couldn’t come up with the hit. And even in the last inning where it was our best offensive inning, somehow we hit into a triple play, which you got to give Manny credit. He made a heck of a play.”
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