LOS ANGELES -- Before Friday's game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pronounced the hatchet buried between Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal following the pair's argument in the dugout during Thursday night's 8-6 loss to the Brewers.
"It happens over the course of the season," Roberts said. "When you have players hold one another accountable, that's the ultimate goal. That helps sustain consistency and greatness. For those two guys, it's something that's dealt with, over with, and we're better for it."
The play that sparked the heated exchange actually went the Dodgers' way and tied the game, but it should have never been close enough to need a replay review. With Grandal on first and Joc Pederson on third, Turner hit a one-out, pinch-hit sacrifice fly to left field.
Both runners tagged up, so Brewers left-fielder Ryan Braun quickly threw to second to catch Grandal. The tag came nearly at the same time that Pederson crossed home plate, ending the inning on a double play. Grandal should have stopped, but kept going. Turner let Grandal know what he thought of the catcher's baserunning.
The game-tying run was counted by home-plate umpire Ryan Blakney and stood after a replay review.
When asked Friday if the two were fighting, Roberts disagreed that it was any kind of fight and contended it could be a good sign for the team.
"I think 'fighting' is a little aggressive obviously," Roberts said. "I think having discussions or openly showing emotion with one another for the right reasons is fine. You see it in every season throughout a season. It's not something I advocate, but it can be helpful."
Grandal agreed after the game that the argument could also be a positive sign, going further by saying, "I feel like if we get some fire within the team to get us going, its fine. At times I feel like we're better than the other team and we lay back and relax instead of making it happen."
Not many will dispute the idea that the Dodgers could use some extra push, as the team is just two games above .500 and 6 1/2 games behind the Giants in the NL West standings. Not many, except Roberts, who contended that the fire should already be there.
"I don't think it's about the frustration with where we're at with the standings," Roberts said. "I know a lot of players that aren't relaxed and content going into a game. I'd love to know which players he feels are content and don't want to fight so they won't play that night."
Injury notes
• Kenta Maeda is good to go Sunday night after getting hit in the leg by a line drive Tuesday, with seemingly no restrictions.
• Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder) started Friday for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and performed well, striking out five in four scoreless innings with 60 pitches. Both the inning- and pitch-counts were exactly in line with what was scheduled for the southpaw.
• Yasiel Puig (hamstring) also started for Rancho, playing seven innings in right field and going 1-for-3 with an outfield assist.