When your favorite team is leading its division by 17 games with only 46 games remaining, it’s hard to say that any one hit at this point is the proverbial biggest hit of the season. But on Saturday night before a sold out Dodger Stadium crowd, 23-year-old Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager had what was arguably one of the biggest hits of the year. It wasn’t a grand slam or a home run at all. In fact, it wasn’t even a triple or a double. It was what ended up being a bases-clearing single. Yes, it was a simple base hit to right field with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a 3-2 count by the reigning 2016 National League Rookie of the Year with every one of the 53,230 in attendance on their feet.

But how on earth can a simple single to right clear the bases, you ask? Because in addition to what may have been Seager’s best at-bat since his MLB debut on September 3, 2015, he got into a rundown between first and second base that allowed a very bold Yasiel Puig to score from third base to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead.

After working the count full, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager lined a 93-MPH fastball off of Padres right-hander Craig Stammen into right field that would drive in three runs, including the eventual game-winner in the Dodgers 6-3 win on Saturday night. Note that everyone in the sold out Dodger Stadium crowd was standing at the time.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although calling Puig’s baserunning very bold as opposed to very foolish (which earned him the nickname “Wild Horse” from Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully) may seem a bit generous, it was, in every sense of the word, a very wise and well calculated risk that paid off big time. Oh sure, had Puig been tagged out by Padres catcher Austin Hedges in his attempt to score undoubtedly would have drawn criticism from some, but with Seager caught in a rundown between first and second base that absolutely would have ended in the third out of the inning, Puig had absolutely nothing to lose and a potential run to gain on his gamble.

Puig scored and Seager took second base on the throw home.

Even though they didn’t figure into the Dodgers eventual 6-3 win, solo home runs by Dodgers rookie phenom first baseman Cody Bellinger in the seventh inning and by smoking hot Dodgers outfielder Chris Taylor in the eighth inning took the wind completely out of the sails of the NL West fourth-place Padres, who now find themselves 31 games behind the first-place Dodgers. Bellinger’s blast was his team-leading 34th of the season to put him only one behind former Dodger and Hall of Famer Mike Piazza for the all-time franchise record for most home runs by a Dodger rookie. Bellinger also now trails slugger Mark McGwire – who just so happens to be the Padres hitting coach – by 15 home runs for the all-time rookie home run record set by McGwire in 1987 while with the Oakland Athletics. And while McGwire’s record may seem out of reach for the 22-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona native, here again, the Dodgers still have 46 games left to play in the 2017 regular season.

Taylor’s solo shot was his 17th of the season and helped raise his batting average to .310, which is currently tied for 10th-best in the National League and behind fellow Dodger Justin Turner‘s current league-leading .344 batting average. Taylor now trails only Yasiel Puig (19), Corey Seager (21) and Cody Bellinger (34) for most Dodger home runs this season.

Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu did not figure in the decision on Saturday night, having lasted only five innings and leaving the game trailing by a score of 3-1. His replacement, recently acquired left-hander Tony Watson, was the benefactor of Seager’s three-run single to collect his first win as a Dodger (along with one loss), this in spite of pitching only one inning and making only 11 pitches (eight for strikes). On the season Watson is now 6-4 with a 3.91 ERA.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen picked up his 31st save of the season on Saturday night and now trails only Rockies closer Greg Holland‘s 34 saves for most in the National League. Jansen, however, is 5-0 on the season with an MLB-best 1.31 ERA among all closers.

Jansen picked up his 31st save of the season on Saturday night, second-most in the NL to only Rockies closer Greg Holland. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)