Hitless for six innings, the San Francisco Giants finally got to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen and the floodgates opened.
Brandon Crawford singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, and the Giants rallied for a 7-5 victory on Friday night after Emmet Sheehan dominated them early in his major-league debut.
The Dodgers’ bullpen imploded once again, giving up five runs after Sheehan departed.
Designated runner Patrick Bailey began the 11th at second and took third on Mike Yastrzemski’s fly to center off Alex Vesia (0-4). James Outman fired to third in an attempt to get Bailey, whose left foot came over the bag. But the tag didn’t stay on his right knee and he was called safe in a play that was reviewed.
Crawford, who was hitless in his first four at-bats, singled to right, scoring Bailey for a 6-5 lead. Austin Slater’s RBI single added an insurance run.
“We’ve had quite a few come-from-behind wins, especially on the road,” said Jakob Junis, who earned his first save. “I think it gives everyone confidence.”
Los Angeles rallied to tie it at 5 in the ninth on Freddie Freeman’s infield single to second off Camilo Doval. The Dodgers had the potential winning run at third in the 10th but pinch-hitter Austin Barnes took a called third strike to end the inning.
The Dodgers committed a colossal base-running blunder in the bottom of the 11th.
Mookie Betts was jogging to first on what appeared to be a routine pop-up until the ball dropped for an error by third baseman Casey Schmitt. Betts suddenly put on the speed, but he never looked ahead to see Michael Busch being held up. Busch was thrown out at home in a rundown for the second out. Betts was safe at third on the two-error play before Miguel Rojas grounded out to end the game.
Betts said it was his decision to run.
“I just thought wrong, I saw the play wrong, I was wrong,” he said.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler was still marveling at the absurdity of it afterward.
“I had to go watch the replay of it like three or four times, it was such a strange play,” he said. “One of the stranger ones I’ve been a part of. I don’t know what to say about it. It was so weird.”
The Giants have won five in a row and eight of 11. They are 20-9 since May 15.
Tyler Rogers (3-2) got the win with one hit in one inning of relief.
Joc Pederson’s RBI single pulled the Giants to 4-3 in the eighth. They tied it on Thairo Estrada’s sacrifice fly. Casey Schmitt reached on a single to shortstop off Tayler Scott that scored Pederson for a 5-4 lead.
Wilmer Flores went deep for a two-run shot to left field in the seventh, leaving the Giants trailing 4-2. He fouled a ball off the top of his left foot during the at-bat and later left the game. He’ll have a CT scan on Saturday.
“It hurts, it’s a sensitive spot,” Flores said.
Sheehan dazzled after being called up directly from Double-A Tulsa. The 23-year-old, in his third season with the Dodgers organization, is the sixth rookie and fourth pitcher to play for the team this season.
Sheehan threw 51 of 89 pitches for strikes, with his fastball averaging 95.6 mph. He struck out three and walked two.
“I was just trying to go out there and make it the same game it was in Double-A,” he said. “To have the Dodger fans and my family behind me here at the game, I couldn’t have asked for a better debut besides a Dodger win.”
Sheehan was greeted with high-fives and hugs in the dugout after retiring the side in the sixth, leaving with a 4-0 lead. He’s a graduate of Fordham Prep, the same high school in the Bronx attended by the late Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.
“It was a special moment he’ll remember forever,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He delivered. It was fun to watch. We made some nice plays behind him. I wish we could have ended it with a win.”
The Dodgers led 4-0 in the fifth. Will Smith had a two-out RBI bloop single and J.D. Martinez had a RBI double. Outman singled, and left fielder Michael Conforto dropped the ball twice in his haste to make the throw. Smith and Martinez scored on the error.
Sheehan was backed by sparkling defense from Rojas, Freeman and Betts.
In the fourth, shortstop Rojas backhanded a ball hit by Estrada and as he slid, he turned and thew to second base to nab Pederson.
Flores sent a pop foul to the first-base warning track and Freeman went into the protective netting, caught the ball and landed in the first-row seats to end the fourth.
Betts had two highlight-reel plays in the sixth. He made a long run to his left to rob LaMonte Wade Jr. for the second out. Then Betts made a diving catch on his belly of a line drive by Pederson to end Sheehan’s 1-2-3 inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: OF Mitch Haniger underwent surgery to repair a fractured ulna in his right arm. He went on the IL and is expected to be out 10 weeks.
Dodgers: 3B Max Muncy went on the IL with a strained hamstring. He could return in time for a home series against Houston starting on June 23. … 3B Chris Taylor left in the fourth with right knee pain and LF David Peralta departed in the third with a left hamstring strain. Both players will be out Saturday, when Taylor will have a scan.
LIGHTING IT UP
Irritated by the Dodgers’ flashing lights from their new LED system, Kapler complained to the umpire at one point during the game. “You can’t have lights going on when plays are still happening,” he said.
UP NEXT
Giants: LHP Alex Wood (1-1, 4.80 ERA) will start against his former team.
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (3-0, 0.78) is the second straight rookie to start for the Dodgers.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.