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Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas Takes Responsibility for Near Miss With Andy Pages

Posted on by Vaseline

With the Boston Red Sox leading 1-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning, Miguel Vargas gifted Dominic Smith a leadoff double.

The play itself was ugly and showed Vargas’ outfield inexperience. Smith hit a ball into the left-center gap and both Vargas and center fielder Andy Pages called for the ball. In that situation, Pages has the right of way. Instead, the two players nearly collided and the ball jumped out of Vargas’ glove.

“I didn’t hear him — it was too loud,” Vargas said. “I have to respect his priority as well, so I take full responsibility for that.”

Fortunately, the run did not score, but it was a learning experience for the young outfielder. But the next inning he redeemed himself.

With one out in the eighth inning, Vargas caught a short fly ball to left field and doubled off the runner, Tyler O’Neill, at first to end the inning. Shortstop Miguel Rojas covered O’Neill at second base just enough to slow his return to first. The play was reviewed, but Vargas caught him by about a half-step.

“That was a weird play,” Rojas said. “You don’t see many outfield assists like that. I saw him slowly jogging back, so I said, ‘Maybe I got him.'”

Vargas made amends when he opened the home half of the inning with a leadoff walk, dodging a fastball that sliced ​​toward his head. Chris Taylor struck out, Shohei Ohtani doubled down the left-field line, and then Red Sox manager Alex Cora elected to intentionally walk Will Smith to throw to Freddie Freeman.

Freeman hit a down-and-in, 0-and-1 curveball over the right-field wall for his seventh career grand slam and a 4-1 lead. The Dodger Stadium crowd erupted in chants of “Freddie! Freddie!” and Freeman came out for a curtain call.

“From the other dugout, it’s a no-win, pick-your-own-poison situation,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That’s a tough one. It started with Vargy getting on base and Shohei doubled, which put the onus on the manager, AC, to make a decision.”

It worked out well for Freeman, who improved his mark to 5-for-9 with the bases loaded this season. Daniel Hudson allowed a single in the ninth for his fifth save and the Dodgers maintained their seven-game lead over Arizona in the National League West.

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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