Dodgers: Dave Roberts catches SF Giants 1st baseman coach’s underhanded tactics

Without a doubt, the Dodgers and Giants have one of the deepest and most intense rivalries in professional sports. A century of facing each other from New York to California will do it for you.

After Mookie Betts’ home run game on Thursday, the Giants were understandably upset after nearly completing an unlikely 5-0 comeback only to lose 9-6. Friday night, they were maybe looking for any advantage to win early.

In the first inning, after just four pitches, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sent pitching coach Mark Prior to the mound after noticing something was happening between the batter and the first baseman coach while the starting pitcher Tyler Anderson was working on panels with Will Smith.

The umpires’ stoppage and rally was the result of Roberts’ accusation that the Giants’ first baseman coach was out of his coaching box trying to steal signs and pass pitches to his own team. Antoan Richardson was sent back to his box with watchful eyes and play continued after Prior told Anderson to clean his glove and be more careful.

The odd moment wasn’t really explained until after the game, when Doc shared with the media what was going on.

Dave Roberts said the delay in the first inning was because the Dodgers dugout thought Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson was passing signs to Austin Slater at home plate. They informed the referees, who told Richardson to step back into the coaches box.

“Just a little play,” Roberts added. “They were doing a signal relay by the first base coach, so I wanted to kind of smother that, put the coach in the box and let Tyler do his thing.”

Tyler Anderson said Mark Prior told him they thought Antoan Richardson was trying to see his glove from the 1B coaches box. So Prior told Anderson to clean up that part. “If you expose yourself, it happens, and I think that’s part of the game,” Anderson said.

Despite the early interruption, the All-Star pitcher emerged victorious in the end with LA toppling the Giants 5-1. The southpaw recorded six strikeouts and allowed just one run on four hits over six innings, lowering his season ERA to 2.79 in 18 games (16 starts). The Dodgers and Giants continue the four-game series tonight with former Dodger Alex Wood facing Julio Urias.

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