Trayce Thompson recorded the putout, the Dodgers center fielder leaping to the top of the wall to make a spectacular, potential game-saving catch in the ninth inning of a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins before a crowd of 50,431 in Chavez Ravine on Friday night.
Credit Daryl Boston with the assist.
Boston is a former big-league outfielder who is currently the first-base coach for the Chicago White Sox, but he was the organization’s minor league outfield coordinator when the White Sox selected Thompson, a former Santa Margarita High School standout, in the second round in 2009.
“Every day after I got drafted, we’d be out there working on stuff, working on balls off the wall, working on ground balls, throwing guys out at home, so you know, he’s my guy,” Thompson said of Boston. “I still keep in contact with him pretty regularly. I’m sure he’ll text me when he sees that play.”
Thompson, making his eighth start of the season in center field, already had made a significant contribution with his bat, roping a two-out, run-scoring double down the left-field line to tie the score 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth on a quirky fielder’s-choice grounder by Will Smith, and with regular closer Craig Kimbrel down after pitching in three of the previous five games, manager Dave Roberts handed the ball to setup man Evan Phillips to start the ninth.
Nick Fortes led off with a drive to deep center. Thompson raced back to the warning track and made a leaping catch to rob the designated hitter of extra bases. Phillips got the next two outs for the save to help the Dodgers improve their major league-best record to 82-36 and win for the 37th time in 45 games.
“I think it would have gone off the wall [if I didn’t catch it], but I didn’t think it was going over,” Thompson said. “It felt good. As an outfielder, any ball at the wall you can pull down, it’s a good feeling to help your pitcher out.”
How tough of a play is that when you’re not playing regularly?
“Well, I mean, that’s why you…