Dodgers Infielder Talks About Game-Altering Defensive Mistake vs Padres

Maren Angus-Coombs | Oct 9, 2024

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Before Tuesday's game, the focus for both the Dodgers and Padres was all about staying composed. But once they hit the field, it didn’t seem to matter much.

In the end, the Dodgers fell just short, mostly due to a rough bottom of the second inning. San Diego came away with a 6-5 win, taking a 2-1 lead in the NLDS. Walker Buehler pitched one of his better games this season, but defensive miscues cost him.

First, Freddie Freeman made a throwing error that put Padres runners on the corners. That was followed by an uncharacteristic mistake from Miguel Rojas. He hesitated on a toss to second during a double play attempt on Xander Bogaerts' ground ball and decided to take it himself. But Jackson Merrill beat him to the bag, and Bogaerts beat the throw to first.

What should’ve been at least one out turned into none, with a run scoring.

“That play has happened to me in my career a bunch of times and more times than not, I think 99 percent, today was the only time that I haven’t gotten the runner at least at second base,” Rojas said after the game. “I felt like I was playing not all the way in the hole. I was playing in a straight-up position and I was moving to my left already. I felt like the best way for us to get two outs there was that.

“But at the end of the day, you rethink about it and revisit the play, and all we needed was one out. I didn’t know that the whole thing was going to happen after obviously, but getting one out there probably was the best option and I made a bad decision.”

The game started off promising for L.A. with Mookie Betts launching a solo homer in the top of the first — his first postseason hit since Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS — giving the Dodgers an early lead. It was the first time in the series they struck first.

But that momentum didn’t last long. Buehler’s struggles, combined with shaky defense and a bit of bad luck, allowed the Padres to erupt for six runs, sending a sold-out Petco Park into a frenzy.

“You can't give up six runs in an inning of the playoffs and expect to win,” said Buehler, who was dealt the loss. “So there's some things that I have some pride about in that game. But at the end of the day, I put us in a really bad spot, and we fought back, but the spot was too big.”