Giants get last word after Dodgers make some noise

By the standards of their shared history, this has been a period of relative civility between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

A measure of hostility was reintroduced into the storied rivalry Friday night, courtesy of Yasiel Puig’s home run celebration in the Dodgers’ 3-1 defeat.

Puig flipped his bat and walked leisurely out of the batter’s box as he watched his sixth-inning drive clear the center field wall at Dodger Stadium. The display prompted Giants starter Madison Bumgarner to walk toward Puig as he rounded third base and bark at him.

Catcher Buster Posey exchanged words with Puig as their paths crossed at the plate. Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly came on to the field, as did his Giants counterpart, Bruce Bochy.

Mattingly said something to Posey, then to the umpires.

He later explained that he thought the umpires should have controlled the situation better.

Puig said he was surprised by Bumgarner’s reaction.

“But that’s normal,” Puig said. “He saw something he didn’t like and he reacted the way he did.”

Puig, who speaks limited English, said he understood what Bumgarner shouted at him.

“But I won’t say,” Puig said.

Bumgarner sarcastically said he congratulated Puig.

Mattingly returned to the dugout, but he wasn’t finished talking. With Hanley Ramirez at the plate, Mattingly was ejected by home plate umpire Will Little for arguing balls and strikes.

Puig’s home run and Mattingly’s ejection didn’t change anything. The Dodgers still trailed, 3-1, and went on to lose to the first-place Giants for the second time in as many days. Their deficit in the National League West increased to 4 1/2 games.

Both teams had far more significant concerns than what happened in the sixth inning.

The Dodgers remained uncertain whether third baseman Juan Uribe would avoid the disabled list. Meanwhile, the Giants braced themselves to be without home run leader Brandon Belt.

Belt’s left finger was broken in the second inning, when an 87-mph fastball by Paul Maholm struck him.

“I was trying to throw a sinker low and away,” Maholm said. “I missed by about two feet.”

Belt has hit nine home runs in what was shaping into a breakout season. He hit 17 last year.

He now figures to be sidelined for at least a month, a development that could significantly alter the landscape of the division.

As for Uribe, the Dodgers continue to describe the strain of his right hamstring as “mild.” However, Mattingly didn’t rule out the possibility of the third baseman landing on the disabled list.

“Hamstrings are tricky,” Mattingly said. “You can feel pretty good. But if you can’t run, you can’t play.”

Uribe was injured running to first base in the series opener Thursday night.

“He looks pretty normal walking, so it’s not like one of those blowups where the guy gets shot and can’t walk,” Mattingly said. “Mild, but we’ll see.”

For now, the Dodgers are listing as day to day.

But Mattingly made clear he doesn’t intend to play shorthanded for more than a couple of days. If Uribe has to be sidelined for more than a few days, the Dodgers could place him on the disabled list.

Uribe is not only batting .306, he is also by far the Dodgers’ best defensive player in a shaky infield.

“He plays great defense,” Mattingly said. “It’s an area we’re hoping to continue to improve in. And he’s swung the well for us. We’ll miss all of it.”

In Uribe’s absence, Justin Turner started at third base Friday. If Uribe is out for an extended period of time, Turner figures to split playing time there with Chone Figgins.

“I don’t know if we’re really sitting anywhere with our top minor league prospect or something being a third baseman,” Mattingly said. “Right now, I would look at it like we’re going to find it with the guys here.”