Max Muncy couldn’t help but throw his hands up in disbelief.
In a frustrating loss for the Dodgers, such was the defining image of the day.
In the bottom of the sixth inning Sunday, with the Dodgers facing a four-run deficit to the Braves, Muncy thought he had done everything right in the most pivotal moment of the game.
He’d worked a full count in a bases-loaded, two-out opportunity. He got the pitch he was looking for from Braves reliever Robert Suarez on a fastball up — but not out — of the strike zone. Even though he’s been slumping recently, Muncy connected with what appeared to be a perfect swing, lining a 107 mph rocket deep to right field. And as the ball sailed through the afternoon sun, it seemed like a comeback was on.
Braves right fielder Eli White, however, had other ideas.
With a leaping effort that sent him crashing face-first into the wall and knocked him flat on his back along the warning track, White held on for a game-changing catch.
It was as close asthe Dodgerswould come in their 7-2 defeat at Dodger Stadium.
And it left Muncy — who later hit a two-run homer that would prove too little, too late — stunned as he pulled up just past first base.
Instead, on a day they fell behind by four runs in the second inning, the Dodgers (24-16) failed to avoida fourth series defeat out of their last six tries.
While the Dodgers were unable to capitalize on opportunities in the rubber-match game of this marquee series, the Braves (28-13) took advantage, maintaining their status as MLB’s winningest early-season team.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
