More beanball drama for D-backs, Dodgers
Apr 14, 2016, 8:22 AM | Updated: 3:10 pm
Los Angeles Dodgers' Justin Turner, left, walks to first base with manager David Roberts, right, after he is hit by a pitch by Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Jake Barrett, not pictured, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Wednesday, April 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
(AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Some things never change.
Water is wet, the sky is blue, the San Antonio Spurs will always win 50 or more games in the regular season and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers don’t like each other.
In a 3-1 win in Los Angeles Wednesday night, the Dodgers had thee batters plunked by pitches. Justin Turner was hit by Arizona starter Rubby De La Rosa in the fifth inning. An inning later, Joc Pederson was tagged by reliever Randall Delgado. In the seventh, Turner was hit again, this time by reliever Jake Barrett.
In the series opener Tuesday, Diamondbacks Jean Segura and Nick Ahmed were hit by pitches, as was Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig.
The D-backs-Dodgers beanball drama goes back to 2013, when a game in early June was marred by two bench-clearing brawls caused by, you guessed it, hit batters.
Arizona manager Chip Hale was heated during the game in response to Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt’s unhappiness over the Los Angeles batters who were hit by D-backs pitchers.
“I guess their pitching coach didn’t care for their guys getting hit,” Hale said after the game. “It was OK yesterday when our two guys got hit in the wrist, but tonight it wasn’t right– even though the last pitch Barrett threw was a slider. Pitching in is part of the game, we know that, but I’m not going to allow anybody from the other team to yell toward my dugout — whoever he’s yelling at — it’s not acceptable.”
Hale specified his problem was not with home plate umpire Brian Gorman.
“The umpire just said he gave warnings, which I said ‘that’s great, I understand,'” he said. “That’s just the way the game has gone, when a bunch of guys start getting hit, especially (Tuesday), three guys got hit, I believe, that’s what’s going to happen.
“That’s fine with me. I just told him I don’t appreciate somebody from their dugout yelling at me. That’s why I’m yelling. I didn’t want (Gorman) to be offended by me yelling across. He goes ‘I’ll take care of it.’ So, that was good. Brian did a nice job.”
Turner had x-rays on his left hand after the game. They were negative.
Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts was on the same page as Hale in regard to the umpiring.
“As far as Brian Gorman issuing a warning to both teams, I think that’s what he has to do when he hears some jawing back and forth. That’s kind of what they have to do,” Roberts said. “Last one was a breaking ball to [Turner] that hit him in a good spot. The other two, they came in and hit [Turner] twice, once with the fastball. They pitch in.”
The series finale is Thursday night, and the two teams will meet again 16 times this season.
