Los Angeles Times - 07.08.2019

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019:: LATIMES.COM/SPORTS

D

Alejandro Bedoya doesn’t score
often enough to have a goal celebra-
tion. So what he did Sunday was
completely unscripted, inspired
partly by joy and partly by anger.
After scoring in the third minute
of his professional soccer team’s
game in Washington, Bedoya broke
away from his Philadelphia Union
teammates, picked up a sideline
microphone and shouted, “Hey
Congress, do something now! End
gun violence! Let’s go!”
It was the mic drop heard around
the country. Before the game was
over, Bedoya’s plea had gone viral
and fans were raising money to pay

whatever fine the league might levy.

Instead, he was voted Major

League Soccer’s player of the week.

“The support has been unreal. All

over the world,” Bedoya said. “It’s

crazy how just one little voice im-

pacted something.”

It was a moment in need of a

message.

Earlier that day, a gunman had

gone on an early morning rampage

in an entertainment district in Day-

ton, Ohio, killing nine and wounding

more than two dozen. The day be-

fore, a gunman armed with an as-

sault rifle shot 48 people in an El

Paso Walmart, killing 22.

A week earlier, a shooter at a food

festival in Gilroy, Calif., killed three

and injured more than a dozen.

That made 253 mass shootings in

the U.S. this year, according to the

nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.

Where was the outrage in the capi-

tal? Where was the action?

“Do something now! Let’s go!”

“ ‘Let’s go’ for me is Congress. All

ALEJANDRO BEDOYA, celebrating after scoring a goal Sunday in Washington, picked up a sideline
microphone and shouted, “Hey Congress, do something now! End gun violence! Let’s go!”

Patrick McDermottGetty Images

HIS GOAL WAS

TO BE HEARD

MLS’ Bedoya did what many politicians wouldn’t.

He used his platform to speak out — and he’s not done

‘Before I’m an athlete,

I’m a human being. And I

think I’m a

knowledgeable person. ...

I would never just shut

up and dribble.’

— Alejandro Bedoya

[SeeBaxter,D6]

KEVIN BAXTER
ON SOCCER

Joc Pederson, back in his

natural habitat in the out-

field, sprinted into the right-

center field gap Tuesday

night. His instincts took over

and his pitcher helplessly

watched. Clayton Kershaw

was pessimistic about his

right fielder’s chances. An-

drew Knizner’s line drive ap-

peared destined for extra

bases and Kershaw, prob-

ably facing his final batter,

appeared destined for a dis-

appointing conclusion.

But Pederson caught the

baseball two paces in front of

the warning track in right

field, igniting a boom from

the Dodger Stadium crowd,

to end the seventh inning of

the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the

St. Louis Cardinals.

A few hundred feet away,

Kershaw’s mouth was agape

in appreciative relief.

“Wow,” Kershaw said as

he slowly strolled off the

field. He chuckled and

smiled and he waited in front

of the Dodgers’ dugout to

thank Pederson. They

tapped gloves. Kershaw pat-

ted him on the butt. Another

sterling performance from

Kershaw was over with the

Dodgers’ lead intact.

“He just started sprint-

ing after it and I didn’t ex-

pect him to get to it and he

did, so it was awesome,” Ker-

shaw said. “Obviously, a

huge play for us and prob-

ably the difference in the

Kershaw

needs only

a little help

He goes seven strong

innings, with Pederson

making a running

catch on his last pitch.

DODGERS 3

ST. LOUIS 1

By Jorge Castillo

[SeeDodgers, D5]

JUSTIN TURNER DELIVERSwith an RBI double

in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times

CINCINNATI — Angels

rookie Jose Suarez’s next

start was supposed to be for

triple-A Salt Lake. He had

struggled in five July out-

ings, failing to last five in-

nings and giving up 13

earned runs while allowing a

.277 opponents’ average. His

vaunted changeup failed

him in a loss last week. The

Angels wanted the 21-year-

old to reset.

Felix Pena’s season-end-

ing knee injury flipped the

script.

So there Suarez was

Tuesday at Great American

Ball Park, erasing a first-in-

ning lead on the way to an 8-4

loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

For the first time during

this six-game losing streak,

the Angels’ offense gifted

their starter a respectable

cushion before arriving on

the mound. Justin Upton,

trying to shake the .171 aver-

age he assembled during a

21-game slump, thumped a

down-the-middle fastball

from Anthony DeSclafani

for a three-run home run in

the first. He finished the

night with two walks, rein-

forcing his manager’s decla-

ration that the streaky out-

fielder had begun to prog-

ress.

“I just think the at-bats

Suarez can’t

hold on to lead

Upton gives Angels

three-run cushion

with early homer, but

pitcher struggles.

CINCINNATI 8

ANGELS 4

By Maria Torres

[SeeAngels, D6]

A progression from un-

drafted free agent to special-

teams standout to defensive

signal caller for the Rams

continued for inside line-

backer Cory Littleton last

season with his selection to

the Pro Bowl.

In three seasons, he has

developed into one of the

Rams’ most versatile, de-

pendable and productive
players.
“He’s got great instincts,
great awareness,” coach
Sean McVay said of Little-
ton, who participated in the
Pro Bowl as a special-teams
player. “Cory had a great
season last year where he
really demonstrated that
he’s a big-time linebacker.”
And yet, Littleton’s fu-
ture with the Rams beyond
this season is unclear.
Littleton is playing on a
one-year, restricted free-
agent contract that will pay
him about $3.1 million, a bar-
gain for a Rams team aiming
IN THREE SEASONS, inside linebacker Cory Littleton has developed into one to return to the Super Bowl
of the most productive players for the Rams. He made the Pro Bowl last season.

Wally SkalijLos Angeles Times

Littleton needs to be

on the money for Rams

Linebacker is playing

on a one-year deal,

meaning he needs to

earn a new contract.

By Gary Klein

[SeeRams,D3]

Chargers

at Arizona

Thursday, 7 p.m.

TV:Ch. 7; NFL Network

NFL PRESEASON:

WEEK 1

Rams at Oakland

Saturday, 5 p.m.

TV:Channels 2 and 5