The Dodgers played eight innings of very intense, competitive baseball on Friday night against the AL West fourth place Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium. The problem, of course, is that like every other baseball game, it was a nine-inning game.

It became evident quite early that the normally smoking hot Dodgers offense was anything but. In fact, when the third out was recorded in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers had collected only four hits on the night, with their last coming in the top half of the sixth inning on a play that was as weird as you will ever see.

Yes, that’s Cody Bellinger and Matt Kemp on second base in a play worthy of Benny Hill music.
(Video capture courtesy of MLB.com – Click on image to view video)

But even with a precarious 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, and even with a little trepidation, Dodger fans felt pretty confident when the bullpen gate opened and Dodgers star closer Kenley Jansen made his way to the mound in search of his 24th save of the season.

It didn’t happen.

Instead, Jansen was tagged with his third blown save of the season (and his first since April 17) in a game that the Dodgers absolutely positively should have won.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and an 0-2 count on Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (who was 0-for-3 on the night with two strikeouts), Jansen walked him, bringing 24-year-old rookie infielder David Fletcher to the plate to pinch-hit for struggling Angels third baseman Luis Valbuena.

On Jansen’s first pitch to Fletcher (a ball), Ohtani boldly stole second base. Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal absolutely air mailed his throw that was a good three feet over the head of Dodgers second baseman Logan Forsythe for an error, allowing Ohtani to easily take third. On the very next pitch, Fletcher singled to left, scoring Ohtani to tie the game 2-2.

Angels third baseman Ian Kinsler, who is hitting .214 on the season, followed with a sharp single to right that was bobbled by Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, allowing Fletcher to take third. Puig then uncorked a throw to the plate that bounced over Grandal’s left shoulder, on which Fletcher scored for the walk-off 3-2 Angels win.

Although Puig was charged with a throwing error, it was a ball that Grandal should have caught. That being said, Kenley Jansen was a spectator on the play instead of backing up Grandal which, in all likelihood, would have kept Fletcher at third. But it didn’t happen and the Angels absolutely stole a win from the Dodgers.

Although Puig was charged with an error for bobbling Kinsler’s single to right, his throw to the plate absolutely should have been caught – or at least blocked – by Grandal. Then again, Jansen also should have been behind Grandal backing up the play instead of watching it. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

“You get your closer in the game and one strike away from winning a baseball game, and to give it away like that is tough,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game. “Their guy was good, I thought both starters pitched well, there’s just some things that we didn’t do well. And I thought, to lose a game, to give it away like we did in the ninth, you know … we haven’t lost a game like this in quite some time.”

“It was a bad play all the way around,” Roberts said of the final play of the game on Friday night.
(Video capture courtesy of MLB.com – Click on image to view video)

As you might expect from Jansen, one of the most respected players in the Dodgers clubhouse, he took full responsibility for the loss and even apologized to Grandal and Puig.

But it is what it is and it does no good to dwell on this painful loss.

…Heaven knows, there will be others.

Play Ball!