'More confident' Pages wows with arm, shows progress with bat

CHICAGO -- Left field isn’t a position Dodgers fans frequently see Andy Pages play. In fact, entering Tuesday’s series opener at Wrigley Field, the 24-year-old had only started a game there five times (seven total games played in left) in two big league seasons.

Between the Major and Minor Leagues, it’s easily his least played of the three outfield positions. So seeing him start the game in left for Los Angeles was notable.

“Obviously, it's a bigger left field here,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said prior to the 11-10, 10-inning loss. “I feel comfortable putting him anywhere in the outfield.”

It wasn’t smooth sailing for Pages, but he came through when the Dodgers needed him to. In the bottom of the sixth, as the Cubs led 7-5 with left fielder Ian Happ on first and one out, designated hitter Seiya Suzuki knocked a base hit into left. Pages booted the ball and let it roll behind him, allowing Happ and Suzuki to both move into scoring position.

Pages quickly redeemed himself, though, when the next hitter -- Chicago first baseman Michael Busch -- flied out to not-too-deep left field. Considering Pages’ arm strength settled in the 94th percentile entering Tuesday (per Statcast), running on him without a deeper fly ball would be risky.

Pages got set underneath the ball, and once he got a handle on it in his glove, he launched it toward home plate at 97.7 mph, per Statcast. The throw made it close, though the original call was safe. Roberts challenged the play, and replay review ruled Pages had thrown Happ out with the second-hardest outfield assist this season (behind Toronto’s Addison Barger on Friday at 98.8 mph).

“That was huge,” center fielder Tommy Edman said. “It just keeps us in the ballgame. They were kind of trying to push the envelope a little bit. Everybody knows Andy's got a great arm, and he just did a good job of throwing a strike to home and giving us a chance to come back.”

The Dodgers certainly cashed in on that opportunity.

Pages himself kicked off Los Angeles’ rally in the top of the seventh with a leadoff single, later scoring the first run in the five-run frame. He had earlier contributed a two-out, solo home run in the second. Overall, in the inning, the Dodgers used two other doubles to help them take advantage of two Cubs free passes and an error at third base to take the lead.

“It was a big play,” Roberts said of Pages’ outfield assist. “[Left-handed reliever Anthony] Banda wasn't particularly sharp tonight, but it kind of kept us in the ballgame. It was a big out, big double-play ball, and he played a good ballgame. The last few games, with the bat, seems like he's a lot more confident, and then obviously, the defense in the last seven to 10 days has been a lot better. Just a really good play.”

However, the good times didn’t last as long as the Dodgers would’ve liked.

Left-hander Alex Vesia gave up a two-run shot to Chicago right fielder Kyle Tucker in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to one. Then, Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya hit a two-out, game-tying homer off southpaw Tanner Scott that landed in the center-field basket and sent the game to extras.

Edman began the top of the 10th as the runner on second, but Los Angeles could only get him to third. Chicago then walked it off with Happ’s leadoff RBI single.

“Yeah, there were some balls that were hit that flew out,” Roberts said about the Wrigley wind, which had been blowing out to center most of the game. “But that's baseball, and we had the same opportunities. We were one out away. We just couldn't put them away.”

Roberts said pregame Tuesday the plan for Wednesday night was a bullpen game, and he felt that “we have enough arms and innings to get through tomorrow.” With starter Dustin May grinding through five innings and six relievers covering the rest, though, the Dodgers will discuss calling on a fresher arm.

“There might be a pending move for some length, potentially,” Roberts said, “but I'm going to talk to the pitching guys here shortly and figure out where we're at.”