LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers were hardly happy about losing to Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Saturday night, but with the postseason looming, what really irked Los Angeles was the possibility of losing two key players.
First, left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu was forced out in the third inning after taking a comebacker off his left forearm. Then the game ended strangely when outfielder Yasiel Puig was thrown out at second trying to steal.
Puig did not attempt to slide and came up limping with a twisted left ankle. None of which made Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thrilled.
“I don’t know what happened,” Roberts said. “He went on his own and decided not to slide. Can’t get thrown out right there. It can’t happen. That’s a bad baseball play. I can’t explain it.”
The Dodgers said X-rays on Ryu’s forearm came up negative. They called it a bruise and said they would have a better idea on his condition when they saw how he responded to treatment Sunday.
Even less was known about Puig’s ankle. He was still walking with a slight limp after the game.
“It bothers me a little, but I’m OK,” Puig said.
The Dodgers could do little with Bumgarner (4-9). Austin Barnes’ solo homer in the eighth was the only run they could manage. Bumgarner gave up five hits and a walk in his 7 2/3 innings, striking out five, to snap a four-game losing streak.
“He did look good, didn’t he?” asked Giants manager Bruce Bochy. “He looked strong. He did have really good stuff, really crisp. His cutter, his curveball, his changeup. He had a good fastball. He went up and down with it. A good day for Bum.”
His last victory came Aug. 15. The Giants have scored two or fewer runs in 13 of his 17 starts, but Saturday is the only time in those 13 he has won.
“I don’t think it was a drastic difference, but I was probably a bit better,” Bumgarner said.
“But it’s much easier to go home and sleep tonight knowing that we won.”
Sam Dyson pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 14th save.
Gorkys Hernandez had three hits and scored both runs for the Giants. A single by Buster Posey scored Hernandez in the first and a single by Denard Span drove him in in the fifth.
Ryu is essentially in a tryout against Alex Wood for the fourth spot in the Los Angeles postseason rotation. He allowed one run and three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
PUIG SURPRISE
Roberts did not attempt to disguise his unhappiness, if not amazement, at Puig running on his own with one out left in the game. Puig said he was just trying to win.
“I saw the pitcher was pitching slow,” Puig said. “I took off. I was trying to get myself in scoring position and score the tying run.
“At the moment I was going to slide, if felt like I twisted my ankle.”
EYEING POSTSEASON
Now that the Dodgers have clinched the division, Roberts said he will soon stop using his entire 40-man roster and focus on those who will, or could, make the 25-man postseason roster.
“In this next week, it’s going to be the roles, how we’re going to use them,” he said. “Certain guys we’re probably going to stay away from because they’re not going to be part of the equation on the postseason roster.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Plan to pitch Matt Cain (3-11, 5.66 ERA) at some point during the season-ending, three-game series at home against the Padres. Cain is a 13-year veteran with Giants in the final year of a five-year, $112.5-million contract. There is a $7.5 million buyout on an option for next season. He last pitched Aug. 31 and has lost his last 10 decisions.
Dodgers: 3B Justin Turner missed his second game with a bruised thumb and a virus. Roberts said he expects Turner will be ready to play Sunday.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Chris Stratton (3-3, 3.94 ERA) gets a second chance against Los Angeles. In his only previous start against the Dodgers on Sept. 11, he pitched to one batter before the game was delayed for 2 hours, 52 minutes because of rain. He did not return. He is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his last six starts.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (17-4, 2.26) will try to rebound from a rare loss that saw him give up his first career grand slam. Kershaw has struck out 194 in 163 innings. He is 21-9 with a 1.62 ERA lifetime against San Francisco.
