Barry Larkin: "You're trained if that ball is gonna handcuff you as that first cut-off man, you let it go. Matt McLain was definitely there."
National Baseball Hall of Famer, former Cincinnati Reds great and FanDuel Sports Network analyst Barry Larkin said the Reds would've had a chance to get Los Angeles Dodgers pinch-runner James Outman out at the plate on Will Smith's two-out, go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 9th inning of the Dodgers' 5-4 win in the second game of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park, if Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz had fielded left fielder Gavin Lux's throw cleanly or allowed second baseman Matt McLain to be the relay man.
"A clean glove and throw and I think De La Cruz has a chance at a play," play-by-play announcer John Sadak said during the broadcast.
"Yeah, Will Smith with this (hit). I think Gavin Lux does a nice job of playing the rebound off the wall," Larkin said. "We gotta see this throw (from Lux to) De La Cruz. It's a short hop. But you can see right there Matt McLain is the second man in the double cut. You're trained if that ball is gonna handcuff you as that first cut-off man, you let it go. Matt McLain was definitely there."
Outman pinch-ran for Michael Conforto, who walked earlier in the inning. He got the benefit of a questionable check-swing ball call as he rallied from an 0-2 count to draw the walk by Reds closer Emilio Pagan.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Barry Larkin: Elly De La Cruz misplayed Gavin Lux's Dodgers-Reds throw
Category: Baseball
