Tanner Scott's role sounded unlikely to change after Game 1 of the National League Division Series , even after the Los Angeles Dodgers' regular-season saves leader was tagged for a two-run home run in the ninth inning.
Manager Dave Roberts effectively gave Scott a vote of confidence immediately after the Dodgers' 5-3 victory over the Braves , in which Evan Phillips got the final out to record his first career postseason save.
A few caveats.
First, it wasn't a save situation. Scott was charged with protecting a four-run lead against the top of the Atlanta Braves' lineup -Ronald Acua Jr., Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson -and pitchers cannot record a one-inning save when protecting a lead of more than three runs.
Second, the home run by Albies, which narrowed the Dodgers' lead from 5-1 to 5-3, isn't what prompted Roberts to change pitchers. After Scott got Michael Harris II to ground out for the second out of the inning, that brought up shortstop Mauricio Dubon.
"I had Evan going for Dubon at the outset," Roberts said.
Third, Roberts did not go to Scott because the game had reached the ninth inning. Rather, he said, it was because of the men coming to the plate in the inning for the Braves.
"With the lead we had, knowing [Atlanta's lineup] was going to bleed into some lefties, I felt good about that run [of hitters for Scott]," Roberts said. "If it was the eighth inning I probably would've used him there, so it was more about the lane and the game score."
With all that said, Roberts was hardly critical of Scott's performance. He got ahead of Acua 0-and-2. The former National League MVP took three consecutive pitches out of the strike zone - the first was a strike that he challenged and got overturned - then roped a leadoff single to the outfield.
Albies hit Scott's next pitch, a fastball, 432 feet for a home run.
"We had Acua, then he puts together a good at-bat," Roberts said. "Albies hit a good first-pitch [fastball] for a homer. I'm not going to waver on that."
Scott posted a 2.69 ERA across 69 appearances in the regular season, and recorded 25 saves. The left-hander is one of three southpaw relievers on the Dodgers' NLDS roster , along with Alex Vesia and Kris Bubic.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Manager Sends Clear Message on Tanner Scott's Role After Rough Outing in NLDS Game 1 .
