Chris Taylor blamed for ‘misreading’ in Game 1 loss to the Braves

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With the Los Angeles Dodgers facing Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, their roster included a bevy of right-handed hitters and Chris Taylor was among them as he took the start at the center of the field.

Taylor went 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and a walk, but it was his baserunning blunder in the ninth inning that weighed heavily in the Dodgers’ loss. After working out a walk with two strikeouts, Taylor intended to go from first to third on Cody Bellinger’s hit single.

But Joc Pederson quickly recovered the ball in right field and that prompted Taylor to stop after rounding the second goal and attempting to retreat. He got caught in a rundown for the third out, and the Dodgers lost in the bottom of the ninth.

Taylor explained after the game that he did not accurately assess the situation and stopped after rounding the second goal, and not that of third base coach Dino Ebel, via SportsNet LA :

“It was just a bad read. I barely saw him go over Albies’ head and thought I could reach third place. I didn’t realize Joc got it so quickly and tried to stop. I should have continued. … This is our reading. It was just a bad read for me.

While Taylor’s basic error cost the Dodgers a strike at bat for Mookie Betts with a runner in scoring position, that certainly wasn’t the only reason for the 3-2 loss.

LA failed seven and was 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Roberts: Taylor “caught” in the middle

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat stoically in the dugout when Taylor was sent off and after the game admitted the mistake.

“You know, I think from the book he probably should have stayed. I think he was touched gently. It was a little out of the way, and so I felt he thought he had a good read on that, ”said Roberts.

“It’s kind of one of those where you have to choose. Either you’re going to go strong, and I don’t know if Joc would have thrown in third place and just conceded that base, or just hold on and two outs and give Mookie a chance.

“But I think there he was sort of caught in the middle. It’s kind of when you’re in trouble.

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