NEW YORK -- Yasiel Puig knew the question was coming. What about that rocket throw to third base Tuesday night? The one you made when the inning was already over? Before it was even translated into Spanish for him, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger broke into the sheepish grin of a forgetful schoolboy who keeps getting sent to the principals office for the same silly offence. And he was ready with a playful response: Blame it on teammate Juan Uribe. See, only a few days before, Uribe and third base coach Lorenzo Bundy, who doubles as a translator for Puig, were marveling out loud about how the young right fielder hadnt goofed in more than a week. Turns out, they jinxed him! At least thats the way Puig tells it. "So when he made the mistake last night," Bundy said Wednesday, "Juan came off the field, he was looking for me and he goes, Lorenzo, hes back! Hes back!" The Dodgers are accustomed to those sort of untamed miscues from Puig -- over-exuberant baserunning, wild throws from the outfield, huge hacks at the plate. They laughed off his latest gaffe against the New York Mets because it was harmless: Puig caught a routine fly for the third out and immediately whipped a laser beam across the diamond to hold an opposing runner who was only headed back to the bench. Puig got razzed in the dugout, for sure. He may have forgotten how many outs there were, but hes been right on point at the plate. The second-year star from Cuba has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games, batting .408 with seven homers and 23 RBIs during that stretch. Hes all over the National League leaderboard, ranking second in RBIs (37) and slugging percentage (.610), fourth in on-base percentage (.427) and fifth in home runs (10). Puig credits Uribe and fellow teammate Adrian Gonzalez, among others, with helping him polish his game. Hes laying off bad pitches and having more disciplined at-bats. Hes hitting the cutoff man and eliminating fundamental mistakes on the bases. "I just think hes making adjustments," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Really his whole game has just matured, so I think that maturity has really been the key for him." All without losing the unique effervescence thats already made him a fan favourite around the majors. "Guys that love to play, you can just see it. And I think thats what people love about Yasiel," Mattingly said. "You get that Little League quality thats just lovin playing baseball. And I think thats what people really like seeing. A guy that plays hard with that energy, and then the talent." The 23-year-old Puig is a rare talent, indeed. That quickly became clear when he burst into the majors with a bang last June. But hes also riled opponents with his antics on the field. Some dont like the way he flips his bat when he connects. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner took exception to that this season and barked at Puig after he rounded third. "Its his style. Its been a way that hes played baseball for a long time," Bundy said, translating for Puig. "He doesnt really worry about the other team or what other players think about him -- other than his team, our team. "He says he tries to play the game hard, he tries to play the game happy. He wants to have a good time when hes playing. He said this is a game of entertainment. He doesnt really play it to offend people, but he does have a good time playing the game of baseball. But he doesnt really worry about the opinions of other teams." Details of Puigs dangerous escape from Cuba in June 2012 were revealed last month in a story first reported by Los Angeles Magazine. According to court documents in a federal lawsuit in Miami, smugglers who helped Puig leave his country on a speedboat have made death threats against him and a boxer who says he defected with Puig. The outfielder signed a $42 million, seven-year contract with the Dodgers, a record for a Cuban defector. And in his first visit to Citi Field this week, Puig has put on quite a show. He got three hits and reached base five times in Tuesdays series-opening victory over the Mets. He and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back homers in a 4-3 win Wednesday night. Asked if hed had a chance to do any sightseeing in New York, Puig said he planned to get to the Statue of Liberty on Thursday and maybe the Empire State Building. Wearing a white T-shirt with "PUIG" written in big red, white and blue letters, he said hes still not used to all the attention and he misses his friends and former teammates in Cuba. 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He will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. Cameron Reynolds Jersey . -- Wes Welker is unlikely to suit up for Denvers game Thursday against San Diego after leaving Sundays win over Tennessee with his second concussion in four games.BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona was undone by Real Sociedads potent attack 3-1 to relinquish the provisional Spanish league lead to Real Madrid after it eased to a 3-0 win over Elche on Saturday. Barcelona coach Gerard Martino tried to reinforce his defence by playing with two holding midfielders in Sergio Busquets and Alex Song. But Song scored an own goal in the 32nd minute in the first of several defensive lapses that doomed the defending champions. Lionel Messi equalized in the 36th, but Antoine Griezmann restored the hosts advantage after an error by defender Marc Bartra in the 54th before setting up David Zurutuza in the 59th with Barcelona turned into bystanders. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid trail Madrid by three points. Atletico plays on Sunday. Gareth Bale scored from a blistering long-range strike to help Madrid win its third straight game without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was finishing a three-game suspension. Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi opened the scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 34th. Bale then squashed Elches timid second-half surge with a blast from about 25 metres in the 72nd before substitute Isco Alarcon sealed the victory in the 81st. Bale was having a discreet outing until his superb strike to secure the three points that made Madrid the overnight pacesetters. The Wales winger received the ball unmarked outside the area, sized up the goal, and unleashed a dipping strike that goalkeeper Manuel Herrera barely grazed before it hit the underside of the bar and bounced in. "I said My goodness, what a goal when I saw the ball pass by," Madrid fullback Dani Carvajal said. Madrid will visit Schalke 04 on Wednesday in the Champions League final 16 enjoying an unbeaten streak of 26 games in all competitions. Madrid then plays at crosstown rival Atletico next weekend in a highly anticipated league meeting. Also, Celta Vigo fought back for a 1-1 draw at home against 10-man Getafe to leave the visitors winless in the last 10 rounds.dddddddddddd Martino was dismissed by the referee during halftime, and the Barcelona manager had to witness the rare sight of his team being thoroughly dismantled in the second half from the Anoeta Stadium stands as the festive home fans soaked up their big win. The victory moved Sociedad one point out of fourth place and Spains last Champions League spot as the Basque side deployed its best version of its up-tempo attack. Sociedad was unlucky not to widen the final margin when a disheartened Barcelona appeared to tire in the final minutes. Carlos Vela almost capped his outstanding performance in the 81st only for the ball to hit the post. Barcelona went into the match in San Sebastian after affirming its European credentials with a dominant win at Manchester City this week. But this stinging defeat confirmed the change in course in the league title race over the past two months, leaving Madrid in command and waiting to see if Atletico can keep up when it visits Osasuna on Sunday. Martinos move to start Song ended up backfiring when Gorka Elustondo muscled by him to meet Sergio Canales cross, which Elustondo appeared to graze with his head before it hit Song in the chest and landed in the net. Messi combined with Martin Montoya to level when Sergio Busquets craftily let Montoyas pass run between his legs for Messi to rifle it inside the upright of Claudio Bravos goal. It was Messis seventh goal in his last five games in all competitions and his 14th goal in league play despite missing over two months to injury. Sociedad, however, went back ahead to re-ignite its supporters when Bartra headed Bravos goalkick back toward his own area, where Vela was quick to pounce and crossed for Griezmann to volley the ball beyond Victor Valdes and record his 15th league goal. Griezmann then spotted Zurutuza arriving in a second wave, and the midfielder beat Valdes to the cross and knocked the ball in. ' ' '