- Associated Press - Saturday, June 3, 2017

MILWAUKEE (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers rallied late to stun the Milwaukee Brewers for the second straight day.

Chris Taylor hit a go-ahead grand slam off Carlos Torres in a five-run ninth inning, as the Dodgers overcame a four-run deficit for a 10-8 victory Saturday.

“This had everything,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was a crazy game. You just wanted to get it over with.”

Los Angeles led 4-3 in the seventh when Chris Hatcher walked the bases loaded and Josh Fields relieved. Travis Shaw drove Fields’ third pitch over the fence in left-center, and Hernan Perez homered two pitches later for an 8-4 lead.

Yasiel Puig hit into a run-scoring forceout in the eighth, and the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Torres (2-4), who closed because Corey Knebel and Jacob Barnes were unavailable following outings on consecutive days.

Corey Seager walked, and Yasmani Grandal hit a grounder to first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who, instead of stepping on the bag for an easy second out, threw to second trying for a forceout and hit Seager on the back for an error.

Pinch-hitter Austin Barnes walked, Cody Bellinger took a high and outside full-count pitch for a walk that forced in a run and Taylor homered off the batters’ eye behind the center-field fence.

“Once I got two strikes, I was just thinking about shortening up and putting the ball in play, hopefully in the outfield,” Taylor said. “He left one over the middle and I put a good swing on it.”

Brandon Morrow (2-0) struck out the side in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen worked around Shaw’s one-out single in the ninth to remain perfect in nine save chances.

Roberts said prior to the game that Jansen was unavailable after throwing 33 pitches over two innings Friday.

“I just talked to him and said, ’Listen, if something crazy happens, I’m still available and I’m going to be mentally ready,’” Jansen said. “He understands. He knew I was mentally ready so he called down to get me going.”

Milwaukee has wasted ninth-inning leads in three of its past eight games.

Los Angeles won Friday’s series opener 2-1 when Grandal homered against Knebel in the ninth and Bellinger homered off Neftali Feliz in the 12th.

“We’ve got to play better against these teams to beat them,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “We did some really good things, but to beat teams like this, we’ve got to do more.”

Dodgers starter Rich Hill needed 97 pitches to get through four innings Saturday, allowing three runs - two earned - three hits and four walks.

Brewers starter Matt Garza gave up two runs - one earned - three hits and four walks in four innings, leaving with a bruised chest. He collided near first with Aguilar after the first baseman fielded Bellinger’s leadoff grounder in the fourth, was checked by head athletic trainer Dan Wright and remained in the game, then was pinch hit for in the bottom half.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” Garza said. “It jolted me pretty good. It didn’t feel great after it happened, I just tried to muscle through.”

Counsell made the decision for Garza.

“He just said I was through,” the pitcher explained, “and then I just tightened up, stiffened up and everything started hurting.”

Aguilar hit a solo homer in the third for a 3-2 lead.

BOUNCING BACK

The Dodgers have come from behind in 16 of 35 victories this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: INF Logan Forsythe did not play due to right hip flexor tightness. … OF Joc Pederson has begun baseball activities for the first time since being placed on the seven-day concussion DL on May 25. Roberts said Pederson will go on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment before he is activated.

Brewers: OF-1B Eric Thames was given the day off against Hill, a left-hander.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Kenta Maeda (4-2, 5.21 ERA) starts Sunday’s series finale. He is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two career stars against Milwaukee.

Brewers: RHP Zach Davies (5-3, 5.18 ERA) starts for the Brewers. He is 5-1 with a 3.98 ERA in his last eight starts and an 8.79 ERA in his first three.

___

More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide