Grandal's Bases Loaded Walk Leads Dodgers To Victory Over Brewers, 2-1
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pinch-hitter Yasmani Grandal walked with the bases loaded to end the game, and the Los Angeles Dodgers used another strong start from Japanese rookie Kenta Maeda to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Sunday.
Grandal took a 3-2 pitch for from reliever Tyler Thornburg (3-2) that missed high and outside.
Adrian Gonzalez started the ninth-inning rally with a one-out single to center before moving to second on Trayce Thompson's single to right. Howie Kendrick later walked to load the bases.
Kenley Jansen (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth, and the Dodgers won for the sixth time in seven games.
Maeda (6-5) gave up one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Matt Garza threw six scoreless innings for Milwaukee in his second start this season after recovering from a back injury. Garza only threw 70 pitches and held the Dodgers to five hits. He's allowed one run in 10 innings this year.
The winning rally nearly ended when catcher Martin Maldonado almost picked off Van Slyke at second after Joc Pederson struck out for the inning's second out.
Kike Hernandez pulled the Dodgers to 1-1 with his first career pinch-hit home run with one out in the eighth, drilling a 2-1 pitch from reliever Will Smith into the left-field bleachers.
The Brewers nursed a 1-0 lead through seven innings with Garza and Blaine Boyer holding the Dodgers to five hits.
Hot-hitting Scooter Gennett got his sixth home run of the season in the first.
Maeda made his first start since being helped from the field Tuesday night after being hit on the right leg by a comebacker.
Corey Seager added two hits, a double and a single, for the Dodgers, who won three of four from the Brewers.
Ryan Braun added two hits for the Brewers, a double in the third and a single that fell between three Dodgers in short center field. Braun was thrown out by left fielder Kendrick trying to stretch his second hit into a double.
Garza's throwing error in the third inning is likely to land on some blooper reels. Garza thought about barehanding a comebacker by Maeda only to have the ball bounce off his shin. He retrieved it at the edge of the mound with plenty of time but inexplicably threw a two-hopper to first baseman Chris Carter six feet wide of the bag.
MEANWHILE
The Dodgers optioned RHP Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City and replaced him with RHP Carlos Frias, who will give the Dodgers a nine-man bullpen.
C Grandal was replaced in the lineup by A.J. Ellis. Trainers twice came to home plate to check on Grandal after he was struck by a pitch Saturday night. ... Yasiel Puig (strained hamstring) went 1 for 4 with a single in seven innings for Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday night. Puig will get a day off Sunday and is expected to be activated on Monday
The Blue Crew opens a three-game series vs. Washington. LHP Clayton Kershaw (10-1, 1.58) faces RHP Stephen Strasburg (10-0, 2.90) in a matchup of aces on Monday night. In his last seven starts against Washington, Kershaw is 7-0 with an 0.82 ERA.
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