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Mama said there’ll be days like this
There’ll be days like this, mama said
(Mama said, mama said)
Mama said there’ll be days like this
There’ll be days like this, my mama said
(Mama said, mama said)

(The Shirelles – 1961)

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In the case of Los Angeles Dodgers, ‘There’ll be series like this,’ as in the just-concluded four-game series between the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, where Torey Lovullo‘s (now) NL West first-place D-backs took three-of-four from Dave Roberts‘ (now) NL West third-place Dodgers, and did so in commanding (and embarrassing) fashion.

Although Roberts’ team took game one if the series behind an outstanding pitching performance by 25-year-old Dodgers right-hander Dustin May, they had their respective lunches handed to them over the next three games, during which the D-backs scored a combined 29 runs on 43 hits as compared to the Dodgers’ combined 17 runs on 23 hits.

“I think it was just, you know, the guys just weren’t sharp, to be quite honest,” Roberts answered, when asked what happened this time through his starting rotation as compared to the first time through. “I think Dustin still held his stuff, but the other guys, you know, each guy was different, but I think in this case, it was just getting behind in the count, so it’s good we got through it.

“I think our offense is in a decent spot, but we were behind the eight ball today and really couldn’t catch up,” Roberts added. “But I’m expecting those guys to figure it out. Hopefully, today’s one of those days you just gotta wash this series, ’cause it wasn’t good.”

Yes, it wasn’t.

Despite Sunday’s painful 11-6 loss to the D-backs, the game wasn’t without its moments, arguably the most interesting of which was when the guy you would least expect to ever be ejected from a game, was.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, and with the Dodgers down 11-3, and after numerous horribly blown calls by home plate umpire Lance Barrett, 33-year-old Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes had had enough, when Barrett called a pitch that was clearly a strike from Dodgers right-hander Shelby Miller a ball. Barnes was (very) noticeably upset with the call and immediately (and finally) began arguing with Barrett. During the exchange, Barrett warned Barnes that he had heard enough and told him to drop it.

Barnes did not drop it.

He got back in his crouch behind the plate and could be seen looking back over his right shoulder and saying something else, to which Barrett immediately ejected the normally soft-spoken Dodgers catcher.

“I don’t really want to get into too much of it,” Barnes told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson postgame. “It’s unfortunate to get tossed, especially on Willie’s (Dodgers catcher Will Smith‘s) day off and make him go in there. It’s not ideal, but I felt like I had to stick up for my pitchers a little bit.

“Obviously, the game wasn’t going our way, some close calls, you know, it was a little frustrating with just not being able to get our pitchers through those innings. Yeah, but, I can’t get thrown out there, especially on a day off for Will,” the Fullerton, CA native added.

Although it was “…not ideal,” it’s probably safe to say that Barnes’ stock went up considerably among the Dodger faithful.

Play Ball!

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