Darwin Barney, Los Angeles Dodgers’ mid-season acquisition this summer, got off to a strong start this week, playing a vital role in his new team’s 4-2 win Wednesday over the Atlanta Braves.
In the infielder’s first start for the Dodgers, Barney gave the team an early lead by looping a single to right field to score Justin Turner in the second inning. With the Dodgers clinging on to a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning, Barney hit a playable ground ball to shortstop Emilio Bonifacio, but took advantage of the latter’s error and reached second base. After Adrian Gonzalez advanced him to third, Barney’s all-hustle base-running gave the Dodgers a much-needed insurance run after he scored on a wild pitch by David Hale.
“I’ve been watching [the Dodgers] from the other side for a long time, and we’re very versatile on offense,” Barney, who was traded from the Chicago Cubs two weeks ago, told MLB.com. “A lot of guys can hit the long ball obviously, and when a guy is pretty effective [like Braves’ pitcher Mike Minor], we got our hits and got the job done.”
A former Gold Glover at second base, Barney also showcased his ability to cover much ground and helped the Dodgers with a few big defensive plays.