Dodgers' Scott Gets 17th Save as Closer Diaz Goes on Injured List
Listen to the story
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a win as reliever Tanner Scott recorded his 17th save of the season, though the team was made to work for the victory.
Scott pitched across two innings, a difficult task for a relief pitcher. He allowed one run, letting the opposing team close the gap to a single point before finally sealing the win.
The Dodgers needed Scott's help because their usual closer, Alex Diaz, was placed on the injured list due to neck inflammation. This is Diaz's second time on the injured list this season.
Manager Dave Roberts looked relieved once the game ended safely. With Diaz unavailable, the bullpen had to manage a risky, tightrope-style relay of pitchers to protect the lead.
Diaz had been struggling badly before his injury. In August, his ERA stood at 15.88, an extremely poor number for a closer, suggesting something was physically wrong.
Roberts commented that the team had found clues to understand what was happening with Diaz's performance and health, hinting that the neck issue may explain his recent struggles on the mound.
Vocabulary9 words
- Dodgers
- a professional baseball team from Los Angeles
- reliever
- a pitcher who comes into the game after the starting pitcher
- save
- a statistic given when a pitcher helps finish a winning game
- innings
- the divided parts of a baseball game
- closer
- the main relief pitcher who finishes games
- injured list
- an official list of players who cannot play because of injury
- inflammation
- swelling and pain in a body part
- Roberts
- the head coach, or manager, of the Dodgers
- ERA
- a number showing how many runs a pitcher usually allows; lower is better
Quiz
Answer key
1. Two 2. Neck inflammation 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a win as reliever Tanner Scott recorded his _____ save of the season.
Scott pitched across two _____, a difficult task for a relief pitcher, allowing one run before sealing the win.
The Dodgers needed Scott's help because their usual closer, Alex Diaz, was placed on the _____ list due to neck inflammation.
Manager Dave Roberts looked _____ once the game ended safely.
In August, Diaz's ERA stood at _____, an extremely poor number for a closer.
Roberts said the team had found _____ to understand what was happening with Diaz.