Kyle Tuckers flirtation with history gives Dodgers more hope of turnaround

Welcome to the California Post’s weekly Dodgers recap, where we review the week that was, hand out very official awards and take stock of the state of the season.Kyle Tucker (12-for-29 since Sept.9; triple shy of the cycle on Thursday)Off the bat, it appeared history was afoot.Already on Thursday afternoon, Kyle Tucker had kicked his slow late-season turnaround into a suddenly more hopeful gear, hitting a two-run home run in the first, an RBI double in the second and a single that aided a three-run rally in the fourth.Now, standing at the plate just a triple shy of the cycle in the eighth, he laced a line drive that made the feat feel possible.With yet another squared-up swing, the $240 million slugger shot a ball into the left-center field gap.

As two Reds outfielders converged on it, the entire Dodgers dugout rose in anticipation.Alas, the 11th cycle in Dodgers history would have to wait.The Reds turned a clean relay play.Tucker wisely — although, somewhat disappointingly, given the lopsided score — pulled up at second.

And on the bench, all his teammates could do was razz him by mimicking send signs with their arms helplessly waving.“I tried my best, but I don’t think I was gonna get there,” he told SportsNet LA afterward.“I probably would’ve been thrown out halfway.”Oh, well.For this year’s Dodgers, Tucker’s 4-for-5, three-RBI game was still hugely encouraging, continuing what is now a weeklong surge in which the four-time All-Star has finally looked like himself.Even before this stretch, the Dodgers committed to keeping Tucker as a key part of their lineup.They hoped a breakthrough he made with his mechanics could salvage something from an otherwise disastrous debut campaign with the team.Well, in his last eight games, Tucker has batted .414 with seven extra-base knocks, 10 RBIs and more walks (five) than strikeouts (four).He has hit five home runs in his last 13 games, after collecting just 11 in his first 132 games this year.It is th...