Beckett Finally Gets a Win On Puig Bobblehead Night

Marlins   1 5 2

Dodgers 7 12 0

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It was only a matter of time before Yasiel Puig got his own bobblehead. Such is the case with most Dodgers these days. That’s the ticket to stardom. You get good, you get a bobblehead of your likeness. We’ve seen Manny Ramirez, and Hanley Ramirez both hit home runs on their respective bobblehead nights. And you know Puig was looking to do something similar on his night.

So tonight on Puig bobblehead night, the sold out Dodger Stadium crowd were treated to an offensive explosion from the Dodger bats. Well for the Dodgers it’s an explosion. The boys in blue scored five runs in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one more in the eighth, backing another solid Beckett performance. The Dodgers would win the game 7-1, and take the series from the dejected Fish.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Fish had plenty good reason to be down in the dumps. They just found out their ace starter Jose Fernandez will probably need Tommy John surgery for his strained elbow ligament. It’s a huge blow for the Marlins and their fans, and we feel for them. Of course we still have to beat them, so our empathy only goes so far. Until the game starts and then it’s on!

And on it was at Dodger Stadium Tuesday evening.

Puig was trying very hard to impress his mom on his bobblehead night. Momma Puig threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Puig and his mom also made the iconic ITFDB announcement. I think momma Puig would have been proud, as her son had a great game. Puig went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, and a single. He scored a run and walked. That extended Puig’s hitting streak to 13 games. Speaking of extending hitting streaks, the voltron Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to 16 games. Stanton went 2 for 4 tonight.

The Dodgers were still without Juan Uribe tonight, but the medical staff has cleared him to play. The Dodgers will wait until the Arizona series on Friday night to play Uribe. Although he can pinch-hit or come in for a double-switch. Uribe was actually on deck in the sixth inning to bat for Beckett, but the Dodgers didn’t get to his spot. The club will also wait until Friday to activate catcher A.J. Ellis, who rejoined the club.

Momma Puig was proud-Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Both starters tonight could be considered the hungriest pitchers in Baseball. While Beckett was searching for his first win in 14 starts, 22-year old Miami starter Jacob Turner was looking for his first win in 15 starts. Josh finally got a win tonight, tossing 6.1 innings of one-run ball. Beckett allowed just four hits, walked three and whiffed six. Beckett really had his off-speed pitches working tonight, mixing in some heaters with slow curves and changeups.

The Dodger’s opposing starter Jacob Turner was fine until that fateful sixth inning. The Dodgers knocked him out during that frame. Turner allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.1 frames, and is now still winless. But not Beckett, no sir. Not anymore.

The game was scoreless until the sixth inning, although the Marlins did strand a runner at third in the fourth, and fifth innings.

In that sixth inning, Gordon doubled, and Puig walked. Hanley’s two-run double scored them both. The Dodgers ended up having four consecutive hits and five total hits in this frame. Gonzo’s RBI double plated another run. Kemp singled in a run, and after Crawford singled, Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly brought in the fifth run.

In the seventh, after Figgins was hit by a pitch and stole second, Puig doubled him home. That one was for Momma Puig. And Drew Butera added an RBI bloop single in the eighth to account for the Dodger scoring.

The Fish scored their lone run in the top of the seventh on an Ozuna sacrifice fly that scored Garrett Jones. The Dodgers were 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position on this night. This was the most runs the Dodgers have scored in an inning all season long. Puig, Kemp and Crawford all had two hits.

Even the overworked bullpen did fine tonight. Perez, League and Wright tossed the last few innings to close out the game.

Hey maybe we should have Puig bobblehead night every night now. Or at least just tell the Dodgers that. What they don’t know won’t hurt them right? Well Lairians, this was a good game. Let’s bobble through the highlights shall we?

Beckett sets the Fish down in the top of the first, but the Marlins hit the ball hard. Thousand Oaks native Christian Yelcih grounds out to first, with Gonzo feeding Beckett covering the bag. Adeiny Hechavarria lines out to Crawford. Giancarlo Stanton gets a two-out single. Casey McGehee flies out to deep right. Yasiel Puig has to go back and stretch over his shoulder to make the catch as he stumbles to the ground.

Turner retires the Dodgers in order 123 in the bottom of the first. Dee Gordon grounds back to the box. Puig is robbed of a base hit on a drive to the gap in left center. Marcell Ozuna makes a fine running catch for the second out. Hanley whiffs and we’re scoreless after one.

Beckett makes quick work of the Fish in the top of the second. Saltalamacchia whiffs. Jones grounds to first, and Ozuna whiffs on a check-swing.

The Dodgers hit into bad luck in the bottom of the second. After Gonzo grounds out, Kemp lines a single to center. But Carl Crawford lines a double play right into Turner’s glove. We’re still scoreless after two.

Beckett tosses another scoreless frame against the Fish in the top of the third. Dietrich flies out to Kemp. J.Turner walks. Beckett recovers to whiff Yelich, and get Hechavarria to roll out to first.

Turner quickly retires the Dodger’s Turner, and Butera in the bottom of the third. Then Beckett reaches on a base hit and takes second on a throwing error from Dietrich. But Gordon rolls out, and we’re still scoreless after three.

Stanton’s dribble single leads-off the top of the fourth for the Fish. With McGehee at the plate, Stanton steals second. He takes third on McGehee’s grounder. Beckett whiffs the ice-cold Saltalamacchia. He pitches around Garrett Jones, unintentionally intentionally walking him. Beckett battles and whiffs Ozuna to escape trouble.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Puig’s single gets the Dodgers going in the bottom of the fourth, but Hanley immediately grounds into a double play and Gonzo grounds out too. No score after four frames.

The Marlins leave another man at third for the second consecutive inning. Dietrich singles, and Turner sacrifices him to second. Yelich and Hechavarria both ground out, and Beckett gets out of it again.

The Dodgers don’t score again in the bottom of the fifth. The Dodgers get a meaningless single from Justin Turner and that’s it.

Beckett tosses a 123 inning in the top of the sixth. Retiring Stanton, whiffing McGehee, and getting Saltalamacchia. Beckett bnow has six whiffs through six.

The Dodgers finally break through in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Gordon gets a leg double to put himself into scoring position. Puig walks, but the Fish just pitch around him. Then Hanley’s slicing double down the left field line plates Gordon and Puig to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Gonzo follows suit with a run scoring double of his own to score Hanley. 3-0 Dodgers now. The hits keep coming.

Kemp singles to left, scoring Gonzo. The Dodgers now lead 4-0. Miami makes a pitching change, removing Turner, and bringing in left hander Dan Jennings. Crawford’s bloop single to right advances Kemp. Stanton bobbles the ball for an error, allowing Kemp to take third. Turner’s long drive to deep right sends Stanton back to the wall, but he makes a great catch. The sacrifice fly scores Kemp though, and the Dodgers now lead 5-0. Butera’s whiff ends the inning, but the Dodgers are good.

Beckett runs out of gas in the top of the seventh. Jones doubles to the gap, as Puig makes a diving attempt coming up just a tad short. A passed ball with Ozuna at the plate advances Jones to third. Ozuna’s sacrifice fly plates Jones to put the Fish on the board. It’s 5-1 Dodgers now. Beckett walks Dietrich. The Dodgers hook Beckett and bring in Chris Perez. Former Dodger and thorn in our sides Reed Johnson pinch-hits for Jenning’s spot and lines out to Crawford. Gordon makes a nice play to retire Yelich for the third out.

Right hander A.J. Ramos enters the game in the bottom of the seventh. Chone Figgins bats for Oerez’s spot and is hit by a pitch, Figgins then steals second. Gordon whiffs. Puig then doubles to the gap, easily scoring Figgins. Dodgers lead 6-1!

Brandon League pitches a scoreless top of the eighth inning, whiffing Stanton. The Dodgers scored once more in the bottom of the eighth. After Steve Cishek whiffs Kemp, Crawford doubles. One out later, Butera’s bloop single to left scores Crawford. Dodgers lead 7-1!

Move to the top of the ninth. Jamey Wright is in now. Saltalamacchia whiffs. Jones grounds out. But Ozuna reaches on an infield single. Finally Dietrich pops out to end the game. Dodgers win!

Wednesday night the Dodgers will go for the sweep. The Fish are forced to call up minor league right hander Anthony DeSclafani. He’ll face left hander Paul Maholm at 7:10 PM in the series finale.