The Los Angeles Dodgers offense produced seven runs in their win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night, jumping out to an early lead and extending it in the eighth inning.
After the Marlins tied the game in the second inning, Yasiel Puig provided a go-ahead, two-run home run in the bottom half that gave the Dodgers the lead for good. Puig’s 442-foot blast halfway up the pavilion in left field came off his bat at 111.2 mph.
The home run was Puig’s longest and hardest hit in the Statcast era, which began in 2015. Puig’s eighth homer this season puts him back ahead of Cody Bellinger for the team lead.
Entering play Friday, Puig is batting .245/.319/.435 with four doubles and 24 RBI in 40 games, all of which have been starts. Puig didn’t receive a night off until the Dodgers’ 24th game.
The 26-year-old went into this season hoping to regain his standing as the everyday right fielder. Even while production at the plate has fluctuated, particularly recently, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has stuck with Puig.
On multiple occasions Roberts has pointed to the quality of Puig’s at-bats as being key to success. For his part, Puig is focused on elevating the ball with more frequency.
