MLB’s greatest hits of May 5-11
8. Chris Taylor, May 5, 43 percent
Taylor’s Dodgers had spent most of the night trying to overcome the early 4-0 advantage built by the home-standing Padres. The Dodgers scored three times in the fourth to pull within a run but made no further headway against San Diego starter Nick Margevicious or reliever Phil Maton.
However, Robbie Erlin, the Padres’ third choice out of the pen, had less luck. Assigned with protecting the one-run lead through the 8th, Erlin battled Dodger leadoff hitter Max Muncy to a full count, then walked him on a low slider. That brought up Taylor.
Since Taylor stood there with a batting average in the low .200s, that didn’t send out alarm bells, even though he had already collected two hits on the night. But Taylor made it a personal night to remember by catching a 1-0 fastball and propelling it over the wall in deep left. It was only Taylor’s third home run of the season.
The blow not only gave LA a 5-4 lead, but it also shifted the Weighted Win Probability of a Dodger victory by 43 points, from just 33 percent to 76 percent.
As subsequent events would demonstrate, that shift did not ultimately prove to be consequential. More on that shortly. But even if it didn’t change the eventual outcome, Taylor’s homer was one of the momentum-shifting plays of the week.