Please be careful with trash cans.
Los Angeles starting pitcher Walker Buehler vented his frustration.Or, more appropriately, —In the dugout after San Diego scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning of Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday.
The six-run inning resulted in at least one trash can being broken, and the broadcast showed the pitcher chucking the bench in the dugout. Buehler's teammates dared not approach.
That dreaded sixth spot proved to be the difference as the Padres defeated the Dodgers 6-5 to take a 2-1 series lead.
It wasn't all Buehler's fault. Again, it wasn't even a trash can.
The Dodgers' starting pitcher threw 12 perfect pitches in the first inning, then allowed Manny Machado's first hit of the game, a single, in the top of the second inning.
Then everything went from bad to worse with a controversial play.
Machado altered the trajectory of Freddie Freeman's throw, causing what should have been a double play to become an error, leaving the Padres with runners on the corners with a 1-0 lead.
Shortstop Miguel Rojas then hesitated on a grounder from Xander Bogaerts and failed to record an out on a fielder's decision, and then the Padres scored on David Peralta's two-run double and Fernando Tatis Jr.'s two-run homer. . Take a 6-1 lead.
Buehler first slammed his glove into a trash can after the inning mercifully ended, then grabbed the trash can for more fireworks.
Perhaps this outburst actually helped calm down the right-handed pitcher, and Buehler rebounded and completed five innings, allowing no more runs, despite the damage already done.
It was another low moment for the former ace, who posted a career-worst 5.38 ERA in the regular season during his contract year and is coming back from Tommy John surgery.
The Dodgers must win Wednesday at San Diego to return for Game 5 in Los Angeles, with first pitch scheduled for 9:08 p.m. ET.
