During Sunday night’s 9-0 blowout win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium to conclude the four-game 2018 Opening Series, Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig had a night to remember. Not only did the eccentric 27-year-old  Cienfuegos, Cuba got 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles and a run-scoring double, he also got into an old-fashioned pickle on the basepaths that actually led to that run.

Caught like a deer in the headlights a good 30 feet off first base, Puig somehow managed to slide head first under the tag of Giants first baseman Brandon Belt to safely return to the bag in what should have been the final out of the fourth inning. Instead, it allowed Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager to score from third base during the debacle that prompted Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger to kid Puig as they were returning to the field on defense to say “That was a great time to be an idiot.”

Puig’s sixth-inning double opened the floodgates for the Dodgers offense in Sunday’s 9-0 rout of the Giants.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But aside from his great night at the plate, it’s what Puig did on defense Sunday that perpetuated the unwritten rule that you do not, absolutely do not run on Puig’s incredibly strong arm – period.

With two outs and a runner on first base in the top of the fourth inning, Belt doubled into the right field corner, allowing Giants catcher Buster Posey to advance to third and round the base towards home. Puig unleashed one of his signature throws prompting Giants third base coach Ron Wotus to stop Posey instead of sending him home. Although it is unknown if Posey would have made it home safely or not to score the game’s first run, the universal – and wise – knowledge of Puig’s fabled arm not only prevented it from happening, but it set up an intentional walk to Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford to load the bases, followed by a three-pitch strikeout of Giants pitcher Chris Stratton to end the threat and the inning.

When asked specifically about that play after the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that it was huge.

“That’s one of those things on defense that you can’t quantify or if you can quantify – holding runners from taking extra bases that they might take or taking extra bases on other guys,” Robert said. “Even that play with the ball down the right field line on itself, for Yasiel to get that ball – tough play down the line, you don’t know if it’s going to kick out or follow the wall right there – and for him to get it in, get it to (Dodgers second baseman) Kiké [Hernandez] quickly and hold that runner for us to pitch around Crawford and get Stratton, that was a big play right there in the game.

“And the diving play [to make the third out in the top of the sixth inning, also off of Belt], Yasiel, when he’s into it man, he can really impact the game.

Obviously, pitchers appreciate such greatness as well, and Dodgers starter (and winning pitcher) Rich Hill echoed what his manager said of Puig.

“You can’t … how do you really quantify that, I guess,” said Hill. “He’s got such a great arm, he’s got an incredible ability, intuition, and just to grow with maturation of seasons. You start to see a player with that talent – on top of the experience – just flourish.”

And what does Puig himself have to say about causing opposing base runners to think twice about taking that extra base off of him?

“I feel good of my team and my pitching staff all the time when they hitting to right field, nobody can advance and only bases stay,” Puig answered in rather impressive English. “Sometimes I throw to the cutoff man, sometimes I throw hard, and that, maybe feel good because I do the best job I can do on the field.”

Sunday night’s game also saw the Dodgers collect their first home run of the young season, a two-run opposite field blast off the bat of 2017 National League Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger in the bottom of the sixth inning that brought an abrupt end to Stratton’s night and broke the game wide open.

Bellinger slugged his – and the Dodgers – first home run of 2018 with his opposite field blast to left field in the Dodgers three-run sixth inning on Sunday night. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As for Rich Hill, he gave the Dodgers their fourth consecutive outstanding start, allowing no runs and only five hits while walking three (one intentionally) and striking out five in his masterful 6.0 innings of work.

“I thought he looked good today,” Roberts said. “I thought he threw the ball well, changed the angle at times against the lefties. I thought he was good, I really did.”

Just as Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, and Kenta Maeda were before him, Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill was absolutely brilliant on Sunday. Through their first four games, the Dodgers starting rotation has allowed a grand total of one run. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As he so often does, Hill gave credit to his catcher Yasmani Grandal.

“Yaz did a great job behind the dish,” said Hill. “That was a great line-up over there and keeping those guys off balance is a big part of tonight. That was really something that I thought we did well was executing the breaking ball when we needed to and a timely fastball.”

The Dodgers hit the road for the first time this season, with three against the Arizona Diamond backs at Chase Field Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, an off-day on Thursday, and then three more against the Hated Ones at less-than-friendly AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Play Ball!