Mookie Betts hadn’t been himself coming into Tuesday night time’s Los Angeles Dodgers-San Diego Padres postseason contest and within the midst of a daunting stoop on the plate, the eight-time All-Star obtained a chunk of much-needed recommendation from legend David Ortiz.
Ortiz, a former Boston Crimson Sox teammate of Betts and postseason icon, didn’t lose an oz of religion within the two-time World Sequence champ. Betts took the sector for Sport 3 accompanied by an ice-cold 3-for-44 stretch with 11 strikeouts within the postseason. Throughout Los Angeles’ Sport 2 loss at Dodger Stadium, Betts went 0-for-4 on the plate. Granted, Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar robbed Betts of a sure-thing dwelling run with an unbelievable internet gem, however the 32-year-old nonetheless wanted some phrases of encouragement nonetheless.
“It’s not mechanically, it is likely to be mentally. So now, Mook-dawg, hearken to your boy proper right here,” Ortiz stated on FOX Sports activities’ pregame present. “If I’m your hitting coach proper now, I’d not fear about something mechanically. I’d fear about placing the smile that you simply put in your face. That smile that pisses individuals off, the opposition. The smile that you simply use to beat individuals up as a result of that smile means that you’re having enjoyable. And when you find yourself having enjoyable taking part in the sport, every little thing comes pure to you. You realize why? As a result of this child is without doubt one of the hardest-working children in baseball. That’s why he’s so good. Let’s go, man! I’m cheering for you. My dawg, let’s go!”
Maybe Betts caught wind of Massive Papi’s phrases of affirmation from the locker room as a result of, within the prime of the primary inning, Betts broke open the rating with a solo dwelling run to get the Dodgers on the board early. Profar leaped and practically robbed Betts once more, however the 342-foot blast was simply sufficient to offer the right-handed hitter his first journey across the bases within the postseason in three years — Betts final homered within the 2021 postseason towards the San Francisco Giants in Sport 4 of the Nationwide League Division Sequence.
Betts went 2-for-4 on the plate, however the Dodgers fell to the Padres, 6-5, giving San Diego a 2-1 collection benefit within the division collection, placing Los Angeles a loss away from playoff elimination. The Dodgers have reached desperation mode, which means Betts, Shohei Ohtani and the remainder of Los Angeles’ costly roster will have to be on its A-game, in any other case, the Dodgers are doomed for an embarrassing first-round exit.
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Sport 4 from Petco Park on Wednesday night time is about to start at 9:08 p.m. ET.
