CINCINNATI — Will Smith might win the quietest batting title in baseball history.
The Dodgers catcher went 2 for 5 on Tuesday night, driving in two-out runs with each of his hits including an RBI double with two outs in the top of the ninth inning that broke a tie and lifted the Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
“Probably,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts agreed regarding Smith’s status as an under-the-radar batting leader. “There’s not a whole lot of fanfare with Will regardless, anyway – which he probably doesn’t mind. But yeah, if he just continues to do what he’s doing, I don’t see why he wouldn’t (win a batting title).”
Smith’s offense has cratered in the second halves of the past three seasons as he dealt with the toll of catching in the major leagues. This year, though, he is pulling away in July, going 21 for 60 (.350).
“Completely different (this season),” Roberts said. “He’s healthy, and I think we’re managing the workload. He’s fresh. He’s completely bought in. And he’s doing a great job. Even behind the plate, he’s been really good back there.
“This guy is taking really good at-bats. Doesn’t waste any pitches.”
With a .325 average for the season, Smith is lengths in front of the National League field. Only two other NL hitters with enough at-bats to quality for the batting title – Miami’s Kyle Stowers (.302) and Padres star Manny Machado (.300) – are even hitting .300.
The rest of the Dodgers’ offense has had a less productive July, scoring just 89 runs this month (27th in the majors). The Dodgers managed just two in the first six innings Tuesday while striking out 11 times against Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo. With three more against the Reds’ bullpen, the Dodgers have struck out 218 times this month, the most in the majors.
Those runs came on a home run by Tommy Edman in the second inning against Lodolo (a Damien High product). Briefly, it looked like that might be enough for Tyler Glasnow.
He allowed just one hit in the first three innings but walked two – foreshadowing of trouble ahead.
He walked Austin Hays with one out in the fourth inning then hung sliders to Jake Fraley and Noelvi Marte. The home runs they gratefully collected made it a 3-2 Reds lead. It was the first time in his major-league career that Glasnow had allowed multiple home runs on his slider in a game.
“I felt good early. Just kind of lost the feel towards the end. Not quite sure what it was. I just wasn’t executing in the zone,” Glasnow said.
“I just think there wasn’t a lot of sharpness to it (his slider). I left it up in the zone a lot and it just kind of spun. It was like a bad heater.”
He had lost his way and he didn’t get it back. Jose Trevino led off the fifth with a double and Glasnow walked the next two batters to load the bases with no outs. That was it for him. Jack Dreyer and Ben Casparius nimbly escaped the combustible situation while allowing just one more run and keeping the game within range for the Dodgers’ comeback.
“Not let it get out of hand, that was huge,” Smith said.
Casparius pitched into the sixth inning. Anthony Banda, Alexis Diaz and Alex Vesia followed. The four combined to retire 14 of the last 15 Reds batters.
“The bullpen was fantastic tonight,” Roberts said.
“That’s kind of what I’m accustomed to our bullpen doing, is minimizing damage. … Really proud of those guys tonight.”
That kept the game close enough for the Dodgers to tie it in the seventh. After Michael Conforto drew a one-out walk, Mookie Betts, Smith and Freddie Freeman singled – the last two drove in runs with two outs after Shohei Ohtani had struck out for the fourth time in the game.
Conforto drew another walk to start the ninth inning. Betts flew out to right and Ohtani did the same, putting the ball in play for the first time on his night. With two outs, Smith got a 1-and-1 fastball from Reds reliever Emilio Pagan down and in. He drove it off the wall in left field, sending James Outman (pinch-running for Conforto) home with the winning run.
As good as Smith’s overall average is, he has managed to be even better with runners in scoring position – .387 (29 for 75). With runners in scoring position and two outs (the situation for each of his hits Tuesday), he is 13 for 37 (.351).
“He just has a great way of controlling the strike zone, not chasing, and he knows how to get a base hit,” Roberts said. “I think sometimes people expand. Their swing gets too big in the moment. And Will just kind of checks down and puts the barrel to it. Between him and Freddie (.358 with RISP), with guys in scoring position, I don’t know that there are two better guys.”