Dodgers' Justin Turner to continue playing on sore knee
Justin Turner's knee pain forced him to leave Game 4 early, but Dodgers fans can rest assured knowing he'll play in Game 5 in Los Angeles and beyond, should they advance in the postseason.
"It's still on my leg," Turner said of his left knee after the game, "so I'll be good to go."
Turner left Tuesday's Game 4 following his at-bat in the eighth inning after sliding on his knee to stop a ball to the end the seventh inning. The third baseman was seen wincing during the play.
Before Turner's knee, which has been bothering him for weeks, caused him to leave the game, the 30-year-old infielder made his mark on Game 4, smashing a ball down the left-field line that drove in the game's two decisive runs.
He is now 7 for 15 (.467) with three RBI in the NLDS.
"It seems like everything they throw at him, he hits it hard," utility man Kiké Hernandez said. "I'm glad he's locked in. He's carrying us right now."
With Turner's run production and a masterful performance on short rest from ace Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers pulled off a 3-1 victory in Game 4 to force a decisive Game 5 in Los Angeles.
"Honestly, I never thought he'd be this good of a hitter," Kershaw said of Turner. "You know, he's one of the best hitters in the game. It's really impressive to see what he's been able to do since he got to us. We thought he'd be a great utility player, and he's turned out to be our three-, four-hole hitter and our starting third baseman. So, can't say enough about him."
