As he so often does, Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully said it best about Friday night’s crucial game against the Giants in San Francisco – “It’s not a do-or-die game, but it’s a big one.”

Entering the game the Dodgers were a game and a half behind the NL West-leading Giants with 59 games remaining, hence it was a big game but not, as Scully said, “a do-or-die game.”

But Friday night’s game went well beyond being important, it was historic – one of those games that had it been at Dodger Stadium, season ticket holders would have once again be enraged that they didn’t have a hard ticket to commemorate it.

In addition to Dodgers co-ace Zack Greinke collecting his 12th win of the season to tie for the National League lead, Greinke also struck out 10 Giants – including striking out four in one inning to become only the fifth L.A. Dodger pitcher to do so joining Pete Richert (1962), Don Drysdale (1965), Darren Dreifort (2003) and Brad Penny (2006).

But without question, the star of the game was 23-year-old Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig, who yet again, dusted off the Dodgers record books:

• With his three triples, Puig became the first Dodger to triple thrice in one game since Jimmy Sheckard did so on opening day 1901 – that’s 113 years ago.
• Puig joins Juan Pierre (2007) and Johnny Cooney (1937) as the only other Dodger since 1914 to collect four extra-base hits in a game without hitting a home run; but Pierre and Cooney both did so with three doubles and one triple.
• Puig’s 11 total bases without a home run were the most by a Dodger since Kevin Elster’s 12 in 2000.
• In Puig’s final at bat of the night he sent Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco to the warning track in the deepest part of AT&T Park narrowly missing a home run, which would have tied him with Shawn Green and Steve Garvey as the only L.A. Dodgers with five extra base hits in a single game.

Puig’s three triples on Friday were the most in L.A. Dodgers history and tied a 113-year-old Brooklyn Dodgers record. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

But lost in all of the hype and hoopla of Puig’s incredible offensive outburst on Friday night and what might very well prove to be an even greater accomplishment is what he did on defense – he started in centerfield for the first time this season and he looked good out there, very good.

Although Puig did not make one of his impossible diving catches (such as the one he made at Citi Field in New York against the Mets on May 22), nor did he make one of his signature and equally impossible throws to nail a runner, but what he did do on his three defensive plays on Friday night was show that he tracks the ball exceptionally well off the bat and he took an excellent route on the one play that he had to run down.

“I like [center field] a little better because there’s more room to run,” said Puig after the game. “In right field, it’s a little spot. [Center field is] one of the positions I like because I played it as kid,” he added.

It’s no secret that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has been reluctant to put Puig in center field out of concern that he might run into walls or worse, run into his teammates in his reckless abandon when running down fly balls. Face it, a collision with the (listed) 6′ 3″, 235-pounder would be devastating. In fact, Puig gave Dodger fans a brief scare on Friday night when left fielder Carl Crawford ran down a fly ball in the gap just in front of the hard-charging Puig. Although it couldn’t be heard over the crowd, one has to believe that Crawford was screaming his head off that he had it.

“In center field I could kill two or three people,” Puig kidded. “In center, it’s right, left, short or second base.”

With often outspoken outfielder Matt Kemp apparently happy with his new (old) role as the Dodgers everyday right fielder and with the Dodgers apparently (and finally) having found their new (new) everyday center fielder, the Dodgers are once again stuck with four very highly paid All Star-caliber outfielders for three outfield positions. But as we have heard so very often from Mattingly and from Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti this season:

“It’s a good problem to have.”