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With the Milwaukee Brewers down to their final out in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series and trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by one run with the bases loaded, Brice Take came within inches of what would have been a tying hit by pitch.
But reflex caused Turang to back away, and he struck out swinging at a neck-high fastball on the next pitch as the Dodgers opened the best-of-seven series with a 2-1 victory Monday night.
“Well, if you see me look in the dugout, I’m thinking, ‘Damn,'” Turang said, according to MLB.com. “I know it. Everybody knows it. I couldn’t tell you why I did it. I just got out of the way. That’s just how it is.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy defended his second baseman after the game, characterizing the move as human nature.
“When the ball is coming towards you, your natural thing — it’s a breaking ball, your natural thing is to do that,” Murphy said. “And I know he was thinking the same thing after the ball passed. It happens. He’ll learn from that situation. But it’s hard. Even if you try to maneuver yourself, it’s hard to get hit by the pitch because it’s so reactionary.”
After a brilliant effort from starter Blake Snellthe Dodgers led 2-0 when they handed the ball to rookie Roki Sasaki in the ninth after Snell had thrown 103 pitches over eight shutout innings.
Sasaki had worked 5⅓ scoreless innings in the postseason while adjusting to a bullpen role, but he wasn’t nearly as sharp Monday. Isaac Collins drew a one-out walk and pinch hitter Jake Bauer smacked a ground-rule double that bounced over the center-field wall. Jackson Chourio hit a sacrifice fly that scored Collins and advanced pinch runner Brandon Lockridge to third. Christian Yelich walked on a 3-2 pitch low and outside.
That’s when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Sasaki and brought in Blake Treinenwho posted a 9.64 ERA in September and gave up two runs and three hits in one inning during the National League Division Series against Philadelphia.
Yelich stole second to move the potential winning run into scoring position before William Contreras walked on a 3-2 pitch low and outside. After Treinen nearly hit Turang in the leg with a pitch, Turang struck out to end the game.
“You turn your leg, you wear it,” Turang said. “Just like a natural reaction to get out of the way. The last pitch, he’s a big sinker guy. He threw a four-seamer up at the top. That’s just what it is. You move on. As much as it sucks, you move on.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
