Puig's Aggressive Base-Running Pays Off As Dodgers Beat Mets, 5-4
LOS ANGELES (AP) Yasiel Puig turned a slow bouncer past the Mets' diving shortstop into a one-out double in the 12th inning then scored on Adrian Gonzalez's two-base hit, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over New York on Wednesday night that extended their winning streak to eight games.
Pinch-hitter Andre Ethier tied the game with a two-run homer off LaTroy Hawkins in the ninth. Ethier returned after sitting out a day earlier with tightness in his left calf.
Puig legged out a double that glanced off Omar Quintanilla's glove and into center field after going hitless in his first five at-bats. Gonzalez hit the next pitch off Pedro Feliciano (0-1) down the left field line, maintaining the Dodgers' 7 1/2-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
Paco Rodriguez (3-2) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the victory, the Dodgers' 12th in a row in one-run games, extending their franchise record.
The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Mets with their sixth walk-off win of the season after trailing 4-0 early.
Los Angeles is 40-8 since June 22, the best 48-game run in the major leagues since the 1942 Cardinals went 41-7 from Aug. 11-Oct. 1, according to information provided by the Dodgers from the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Dodgers closed to 4-2 in the sixth on a fielder's choice groundout by Mark Ellis and a two-out RBI single by Jerry Hairston Jr.
Puig's defense sparkled on a bang-bang play in the second when Justin Turner singled to right field. Puig raced to pick up the ball and fired to third base to nail Marlon Byrd.
Byrd hit a three-run homer on a 3-0 pitch from Chris Capuano in the third, extending New York's lead to 4-0. Capuano gave up three consecutive one-out hits, including singles by Daniel Murphy and Josh Satin before Byrd connected.
Andrew Brown's RBI double with two outs in the second scored New York's first run.
Mets starter Dillon Gee allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings, struck out four and walked one.
Capuano gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out three and walked two.
NOTES: Mets RHP Jeremy Hefner was placed on the DL because of a torn MCL in his right elbow. He is 0-2 with a 7.58 ERA in his last six starts. Manager Terry Collins said it's a chronic condition that is getting worse. "But we'll get him back this year," Collins said. "I do know there's a lot of guys who pitch with this. He's had this, and he's pitched with it, and he pitched pretty stinking good."... Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez returned to the starting lineup after being limited to one pinch-hitting appearance since Aug. 4 because of a sore right shoulder. ... Although the Dodgers are starting to tout Puig and RHP Hyun-Jin Ryu as NL rookie of the year candidates, manager Don Mattingly said, "It's way too early for us to be talking about it." ... Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson turned 54.
