Published : Aug. 21, 2013 - 20:15
MIAMI (AP) ― With his first swing of the night, Yasiel Puig snapped a slump and silenced speculation he’s in the doghouse.
The rookie sensation came off the bench to hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night.
Puig was held out of the starting lineup after going hitless in his past 11 at-bats. He also drew a fine when he arrived late for pregame drills, raising more questions about the 22-year-old Cuban’s maturity and comportment.
He entered the game in the sixth inning in a double switch, batted for the first time leading off the eighth and needed only one pitch to break a 4-all tie. Puig pulled a ball that landed on top of the wall before bouncing over for his 12th home run since breaking into the majors June 3.
Reds outfielder Choo Shin-soo avoids an inside pitch in the sixth inning. The Korean went 0 for 4. (AFP-Yonhap News)
“I’d like to have a guy like that coming off the bench,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said with a wry smile.
Puig pointed to the sky with both hands as he crossed the plate and received a jubilant greeting in the dugout, where teammate Hanley Ramirez jumped on him for a piggyback ride.
“We’re always expecting something great,” Dodgers pitcher Chris Capuano said. “He’s just got so much ability. He got a pitch and drove it, and what a spot to do it in. He doesn’t seem like he feels too much pressure out there.”
Manager Don Mattingly said Puig was animated as usual in dugout in the early innings, and didn’t sulk about not starting.
“He’s not a problem,” Mattingly said with a chuckle.
Goldschmidt’s slam lifts D-backs
CINCINNATI (AP) ― Paul Goldschmidt doesn’t keep track of his RBIs. The rest of the Diamondbacks are voluntarily doing it for him.
Goldschmidt set a Diamondbacks record with his third grand slam of the season on Tuesday night and became the first NL player to drive in 100 runs, powering Arizona to a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Goldschmidt connected in the eighth inning off J.J. Hoover, ending the reliever’s streak of 23 scoreless appearances. His 31st homer tied him with Pittsburgh’s Pedro Alvarez for the NL lead. All of his career grand slams have come this season.
“I hope he’s got a big run left in him,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “The team feeds off Patrick (Corbin) and Goldy. They’ve been our most consistent guys all year.”
Goldschmidt knew his RBI total was in the 90s coming into that at-bat, but didn’t realize he’d reached triple digits until he rounded the bases and his teammates pointed it out.
Minnesota 6, Detroit 3
Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 4
NY Yankees 8, Toronto 4 Gm. 1
NY Yankees 3, Toronto 2 Gm. 2
Colorado 5, Philadelphia 3
NY Mets 5, Atlanta 3
Texas 4, Houston 2
Washington 4, Chicago Cubs 2
Chicago White Sox 2, Kansas City 0
Milwaukee 6, St. Louis 3
Pittsburgh 8, San Diego 1
San Francisco 3, Boston 2
Cleveland 4, LA Angels 1
Seattle 7, Oakland 4