Eduardo Rodriguez agrees with Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol. It’s OK to have some fun.
Graterol threw his glove to celebrate the final out of the seventh inning after center fielder Cody Bellinger robbed Fernando Tatis Jr. of a go-ahead home run. The Dodgers maintained their 4-3 lead. Los Angeles went on to beat the Padres 6-5 in Game 2 of the NLDS to take a 2-0 series lead.
The Padres, particularly Manny Machado, wasn’t happy with Graterol’s celebration.
But Machado had one of the biggest bat flips of the 2020 season after homering in the the sixth inning. He threw his bat to the dugout after homering against Clayton Kershaw.
As Rodriguez pointed out on Twitter, why is it OK dance at the plate after homers but not OK for the pitcher to do whatever he wants when he records a big out?
The 22-year-old Graterol initially was set to be traded to the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts deal. The proposed three-way trade would have sent Graterol and Alex Verudgo to Boston, Betts and David Price to LA and Kenta Maeda to the Twins.
The Red Sox were concerned about Graterol’s medicals. They instead acquired Jeter Downs and Connor Wong with Verdugo.
The Dodgers and Twins made a separate trade, sending Graterol to LA and Maeda to Minnesota.
Joe Kelly records save (barely)
Former Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly recorded the save after replacing Kenley Jansen with two outs in the ninth and Trent Grisham at first base.
Kelly walked Tatis and Machado to load the bases. But he retired Eric Hosmer on a ground ball to second base for the final out.
Moreland hits two-run double
Mitch Moreland — who the Red Sox traded to the Padres on Aug. 30 for prospects Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario — ripped a two-run double against Jansen in the ninth inning to cut San Diego’s deficit to 6-5.
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