"Thompson’s love triples" - Los Angeles Dodgers Trayce Thompson receives message of support from Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants returned from the All-Star break and treated fans to a thrilling encounter on Thursday night. Just over 53,000 fans were in attendance at Dodger Stadium to watch the home team win 9-6 over their arch rivals.
As we have come to expect from this star-studded Dodgers lineup, veterans like Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, and Freddie Freeman made key contributions last night.
Trayce Thompson, a lesser-known member of the roster, made arguably the biggest impact of the night to change the trajectory of the game. Trayce is the brother of well-known NBA star Klay Thompson, who plays for the Golden State Warriors. Klay took it upon himself to show support for his younger brother after the game.
Thompson’s love triples.
"Thompson’s love triples." - Klay Thompson
The Thompson family has a rich sporting background. Klay and Trayce are the sons of former NBA player Mychal Thompson, who won two NBA championships over a 14-year professional career. Their elder brother, Mychel, also had a brief stint in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Trayce, however, chose a different path from his siblings and selected baseball over basketball.
Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder Trayce Thompson has been a welcome addition to the lineup
Trayce Thompson has been an unexpected surprise for the Dodgers this season. He was signed from the San Diego Padres earlier this season to cover for Mookie Betts, who was out with a rib injury. The Dodgers had to pay a nominal cash sum to acquire Thompson for his second stint with the organization.
@DodgersTrayce Thompson comes through with a HUGE triple to tie the game 🔥 @Dodgers https://t.co/YaAtzBFQh2
"Trayce Thompson comes through with a HUGE triple to tie the game @Dodgers" - B/R Walk-Off
Some analysts may have shaken their heads at the signing. Thompson started the season poorly, hitting only 1-14 with the Padres in six appearances.
He has since turned things around. In 22 games with the Dodgers, he has hit .276/.333/.500 and has contributed two home runs and 11 RBIs. He was 2-4 last night with a run and two RBIs. More importantly, his clutch triple in the bottom of the eighth with two outs tied the game 6-6.
The Dodgers won, 9-6, against the Giants. That was a wild one. They are 61-30.
Trayce Thompson had a big night. Mookie Betts had the decisive swing, and the diving catch to end it. Wow.
"The Dodgers won, 9-6, against the Giants. That was a wild one. They are 61-30. Trayce Thompson had a big night. Mookie Betts had the decisive swing, and the diving catch to end it. Wow." - Fabian Ardaya
The San Francisco Giants put up a fight and had the opportunity to close this game out. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been resiliant all season. After taking a 9-6 advantage in the eighth inning, they never relinquished their lead.
The National League West is one of the most talent-filled divisions this season. The Los Angeles Dodgers currently lead the Padres by 10.5 games and are 13.5 games ahead of the floundering Giants. With plenty of baseball still to be played, it will be fascinating to see which of these three California rivals finishes on top.