The Los Angeles Dodgers needed to pick themselves up off the mat Saturday after watching Kenley Jansen blow a save, which led to a loss in 17 innings. For the St. Louis Cardinals, their victory extended a winning streak to six games.
Mike Leake began his start on a positive note, making quick work of Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Justin Turner in the first inning. After Kenta Maeda opened the bottom of the first with a strikeout, Aledmys Diaz extended his on-base streak to 26 games with an infield single.
Maeda then induced an inning-ending double play. Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a one out-single in the second. However, he was then caught stealing, and Yasmani Grandal grounded out to end the inning.
The heart of the Cardinals’ lineup didn’t find any success against Maeda in the bottom of the second. Greg Garcia made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle but had to rush his throw and it pulled Matt Adams of the bag, allowing Andrew Toles to reach on a leadoff infield single.
Joc Pederson followed with a base hit to put runners on the corners with no outs. Maeda then executed a perfect squeeze play to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. After Utley’s sacrifice drag bunt advanced both runners into scoring position, Seager’s infield single brought in another run.
Maeda alertly waited for Diaz to begin his throw to first base before breaking for third. While a savvy play it didn’t matter much as Turner hit a two-run double to the right-center field gap. Maeda tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the third, complete with bookend strikeouts.
Andrew Toles doubled in the fourth inning but was stranded by Pederson and Maeda. Adams’ solo home run in the fifth got the Cardinals on the board and trimmed the Dodgers’ lead to 4-1. Leake immediately gave the run back, allowing a leadoff homer to Adrian Gonzalez in the sixth inning.
Grandal and Toles hit back-to-back singles with one to put runners on the corners for Pederson. Toles then advanced to second base on a wild pitch but nearly ran into an out. Pederson lined a single to center, easily scoring one run.
Toles was caught between third base and home plate but Adams, who took the cutoff throw, threw low to Alberto Rosario in front of the plate. Rosario lost his balance and wasn’t able to flip the ball to Leake in time.
Utley followed with a base hit to center field but Pederson, who advanced to second base on the previous play at the plate, was thrown out trying to score. Rosario led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to right field and advanced to second base on Toles’ misplay.
Kolten Wong pinch-hit for Leake and singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Garcia’s sacrifice fly to deep center scored Rosario. Luis Avilan took over with two outs and runners on the corners, and needed just one pitch to retire Adams.
Trevor Rosenthal worked around Turner’s one-out base hit to keep the Dodgers’ lead at 7-2. Avilan remained in the game in the bottom of the seventh and picked up two strikeouts as he retired the side in order.
Ross Stripling, who was recalled prior to Saturday’s game, threw two scoreless innings to wrap up the Dodgers’ victory that helped them keep pace with the Giants.
