In a highly contested series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, every single at-bat counts.With only one game deciding the current leader of the NL West, the Dodgers have a chance to extend their lead to four with just over a month left to go in the regular season, or they could hand over first place if they drop all three, even if the season series has already been decided.
Fortunately for LA, they have a weapon behind the plate who has made it his mission to secure as many outs as possible all on his own, with Will Smith striking again in Game 1 vs. the Padres.
After watching Fernando Tatis Jr. check his swing on a two-strike curveball, Ramón Laureano, who tweaked his leg earlier in the inning, found himself stranded between second and third base and had to inadvertently go for the steal when he realized the ball was still live. Seeing this, Smith shotgunned the ball to Buddy Kennedy at third base and got the out, sending the Padres to the bench without a chance to tie things up at 1-1.
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way. pic.twitter.com/RYJ3ZD7MGo
https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1959079958212747665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1959079958212747665%7Ctwgr%5E88aa192ea5414914fc263ffca48b0e8177262558%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fmlb%2Flos-angeles-dodgers%2Fdodgers-will-smith-makes-padres-pay-base-running-mistake
Goodness, that is why you do not run on Smith, even if it happens by mistake.
Now granted, the fourth inning didn’t exactly go the way the Dodgers planned, as the Padres worked their at-bats and ultimately took the 2-1 lead heading into the fifth inning, but if Smith doesn’t make that play and Laureano ends up at third base with Tatis Jr. at the plate, who know what the score could have been?
