Dodgers Suffer Rough Losses to Reds, Yankees
L.A. Dodger third baseman Max Muncy was removed from a game vs the Cincinnati Reds this week in the seventh inning. At the time, the reason was unknown, but it was a little weird considering he was still set to have another at-bat — and his spot ended up coming up in the top of the 9th inning, and Chris Taylor struck out in his place.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
L.A. Dodger third baseman Max Muncy was removed from a game vs the Cincinnati Reds this week in the seventh inning. At the time, the reason was unknown, but it was a little weird considering he was still set to have another at-bat — and his spot ended up coming up in the top of the 9th inning, and Chris Taylor struck out in his place.
However, after the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Muncy, himself, confirmed what we suspected, saying he did in fact sustain a minor injury in the game. Also, it was suspected the injury occurred when he was trying to field a short hop throw the inning prior from Jason Heyward. Muncy ended up leaving with a jammed middle finger.
“Yeah, he made a good throw and then the last hop, instead of, kind of, skipping, it hopped up on it and smashed me right in the finger,” Muncy said after the game.
The team gave up a five-run lead and fell to the Reds 9-8. It ruined a grand slam homer by Freddy Freeman.
As for the game “We beat ourselves tonight,” Muncy told reporters in the locker room after the game.
It was part of a tough last few days for the team who lost two of three games to the visiting New York Yankees.
The only win came in the series opener. Clayton Kershaw has accomplished just about everything it’s possible to do on a baseball mound during his 16-year career, he had never beaten the Yankees until last week.
The feat got a whole lot less daunting after the Dodgers staked him to a six-run lead in the first inning, and Kershaw sat on that cushion all the way to another milestone victory.
Kershaw racked up nine strikeouts over seven innings of four-hit ball, and Mookie Betts hit two more homers in the Dodgers’ resounding 8-4 win to open this high-profile interleague series.
Betts hit his second straight leadoff homer and an RBI single during Los Angeles’ eight-hit first inning again Louis Severino and Kershaw (7-4) didn’t falter despite allowing early homers by LA native Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson both returned from lengthy injury absences.
“Feels good to pitch good — definitely better than the last few,” Kershaw said. “And when we score six in the first inning, that’s a great way to pitch. It’s just trying to get our guys back in the dugout as quick as possible.”
