Darin Ruf deems Friday a good day to Beat LA

At some point on Friday night, Darin Ruf had a coming-to-Mays moment in which he decided, hey, you know what I should do today? I should Beat LA.

Maybe it’s because he’s still mad at the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2021 NLCS. Maybe it’s because he’s a member of the San Francisco Giants, and fully embracing the rivalry.

Or perhaps he was just raised right, and has a good moral compass.

Whatever the reason, Ruf took it upon himself to Beat LA.

Mind you, the Giants didn’t actually need him to do that. By the time Ruf’s grand vision started to materialize, the Giants already led, thinks to Evan Longoria laying down that sneaking move in which he doubles home a run, then decide to go home himself a batter later.

By the time Ruf had thought to Beat LA, Jakob Junis — who finished with six baserunners, two runs, and five strikeouts in five innings, before departing with an injury — had already established that the Giants pitchers were going to give the Dodgers’ All-Star studded lineup fits.

Still, Ruf had the thought to Beat LA, and that must be commended. It must also be enjoyed, because it looks something like this:

See? Wasn’t that a good choice he made, even if the Giants were on a path to victory regardless?

That path to victory opened up in the fifth inning, when Joc Pederson had a very timely hit, when he chose a two-on, two-out scenario in which to bring two home with a single.

But Ruf had made up his mind, and he reminded everyone of that just three pitches later.

By this point the game was one. Even the high-octane Dodgers offense wasn’t going to mount a comeback. Some days it’s in the cards, and some days it isn’t.

When things like this are happening, you know what the outcome is going to be without going through the motions ... and yes, this moment came after the clip I’m about to show you, but the point remains. This was the type of game it was.

Anyway, Ruf may have understood that the outcome was already set, but Beat LA is so much more than an instruction. It’s a lifestyle; a mantra; a vibe.

And Ruf is the embodiment of Beat LA. Or so he was after doing this:

Great choice all around, Darin. After all, it’s never a bad day to beat LA, which is something that Junis seems to be figuring out quickly.

Anyway, it was a good day, as all days in which the Giants Beat LA are.

Ruf was superb. Pederson had two hits and stole a base. John Brebbia, Jake McGee, Dominic Leone, and Camilo Doval picked up where Junis left off, allowing just two baserunners in four scoreless innings.

And the Giants won 7-2. Against the Dodgers. The Dodgers of LA.

Beat LA.