Justin Turner earned the Electric Play of the Week Award for his diving stop in the fourth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win against the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of the Freeway Series.
Turner’s stop and throw helped preserve Clayton Kershaw’s perfect game at the time. So too did Hanser Alberto ranging to his right to snag a line drive in the fifth inning, and Trea Turner completing a sliding play in the seventh.
Kershaw wound up losing his bid for a perfect game when Luis Rengifo led off the eighth inning with a double.
After Justin Turner made his impressive play, Kershaw walked toward third base to check on him and express his admiration.
.@redturn2 made a spectacular play to help preserve a perfect game at the time.
This is your Electric Play of the Week.
(MLB x @Chevrolet) pic.twitter.com/27maeAMCEt
— MLB (@MLB) July 18, 2022
“That was crazy how far he went to get that ball and the dive and the throw and everything involved,” Kershaw said after the Dodgers’ 9-1 win. “So I was impressed. I was just checking to make sure he’s OK because he hit the ground hard on that one. It was awesome.”
Turner was similarly effusive of the left-hander on wha was a dominant night. “He’s still got it,” Turner said.
“It’s still a pretty special left arm he’s got and it’s pretty fun to play behind him and watch him complete.”
Last season AJ Pollock earned Play of the Week honors for robbing Manny Machado of a home run during an August game in Petco Park. Also in 2021, Mookie Betts received Play of the Week recognition for his tremendous game-ending catch against the Padres as well.
Justin Turner Foundation All-Star bingo
On Sunday, Justin and Kourtney Turner hosted a celebrity bingo event for All-Star Oceanfront at the Santa Monica Pier to benefit the Justin Turner Foundation.
“This is Kourt’s dream,” Turner told DodgerBlue.com. “She’s a Midwest girl, so when we go back to Indiana, we do all kinds of bingo back there. What better way to tie two things that we love — our foundation and bingo — into an event to raise money.”
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