Blake Snell had a bit of an atypical start and he received plenty of early help from Will Smith on Saturday night to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to their fifth shutout win of the season.
Snell got through six scoreless innings despite allowing four of the first five San Diego Padres batters to reach base. Smith threw out three runners on stolen base attempts during that span.
“Early on, just kind of feeling out where I was at, they had some good hits. Will kind of held it down,” Snell said. “Through two innings he had three outs and I had three outs. We were competing.
“But no, that kind of set the tone.”
Smith became the first Dodgers catcher to throw out two would-be base stealers in the same inning since Yasmani Grandal in April 2017. Smith is also the first Dodgers catcher since at least 1974 to throw out three runners stealing in the first two innings of a game.
Overall this season, Smith’s 24 baserunners caught stealing are tied with Carlos Narváez of the Boston Red Sox for most in the Majors.
“It’s big,” Snell said of Smith’s and Dalton Rushing’s ability to control the opponents’ running game. “For two of the guys that stole, I tried being a little quicker to the plate. One of them, I was shocked he threw him out, because I was normal, longer.
“It brings a lot of confidence knowing they can shut the running game down no matter how long I take to get to the plate.”
The outing was Snell’s longest of the season. In a stretch that spans across his three starts since coming off the 60-day injured list, Snell has thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings.
Blake Snell adjusted to Padres
Fernando Tatis Jr. trying to steal second base in the first inning after his leadoff single hardly came across as curious. But the Padres certainly appeared to be pressing the issue when Manny Machado ran in the first inning as well, and Xander Bogaerts tried to his hand at a stolen base in the second.
“I was surprised at how aggressive they were being on the bases,” Snell said. “I mean, they know me pretty well, so it was good to get a lot of tells early on what they were doing and what they were trying to do. And then just learning from it.
“The takes that they were having, what they were swinging at, there was a lot that I was aware of. I was there for three years, so I know this team really well, but there was a lot of stuff I was learning throughout the game and then I kind of settled in once I understood what they were trying to do.”
Snell did acknowledge that familiarity Padres manager Mike Shildt and pitching coach Ruben Nibela have with him potentially played a factor as well.
“I think it’s respect. Nobody knows me better than Ruben on what I can do pitching, outside of (Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach) Kyle Snyder,” Snell said. “I think they’re pretty neck and neck. So I think that, Preller, Shildt, they know me so well. That’s what I thought.
“Maybe it’s different, but I think respect on both ends.”
The two sides will have another opportunity to best each other when Snell starts at Petco Park on Friday night.
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