Kiké Hernandez hit a game-tying home run off closer Brad Boxberger in the bottom of the ninth inning, resulting in the first blown save for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. But they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-5, in 12 innings thanks to Daniel Descalso’s three-run home run.
After trailing from the first inning on, the Dodgers finally caught the Diamondbacks in the ninth, on Kiké Hernandez’s solo home run.
Hernandez was in position to tie the game thanks to J.T. Chargois, Daniel Hudson, Josh Fields, Adam Liberatore and Kenley combining to hold the Diamondbacks to one hit over five shutout innings.
Jansen also pitched the 10th, working around a Paul Goldschmidt leadoff double to complete two scoreless innings. It was good for Jansen’s longest appearance this season.
Yasmani Grandal’s leadoff walk in the bottom of the 10th inning was followed by a Cody Bellinger infield single. Matt Kemp came up just short on a walk-off home run but his drive to the wall in right-center field allowed pinch-runner Ross Stripling to advance to third base.
An intentional walk loaded the bases but they were left full as Kyle Farmer and Chase Utley struck out. Silvino Bracho walked Hernandez to start the 11th and compounded that by hitting Chris Taylor with a pitch.
Despite a lack of command, Bracho managed to retire the next three batters faced. The Dodgers left five runners on base in extra innings. That caught up to them in the 12th, when Descalso slugged his home run with two strikes and two outs.
The homer was the Diamondbacks’ fourth of the night, three of which belonged to Rich Hill in what was a rough first start in three weeks. One of the home runs Hill allowed was a two-run shot to A.J. Pollock that gave him seven in 11 games against the Dodgers this season.
Chris Owings took Hill deep in the third inning, then John Ryan Murphy capped off the Diamondbacks’ scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth. Hill only went four innings, tying a season low for the veteran southpaw. It was a second time in four starts he allowed at least two home runs.
The Dodgers offense was shouldered by Yasmani Grandal, who hit a solo home run and RBI single. The homer was Grandal’s fifth this season, which ties him with Taylor and Kemp for the team lead.
Kemp and Cody Bellinger each contributed an RBI single on the night. Grandal, Bellinger and Kemp, the Dodgers’ 3-4-5 hitters, combined for seven of the team’s nine hits. Alex Verdugo’s one-out base hit in the fifth put runners on the corners, which set the table for Grandal and Bellinger.
The Diamondbacks improved to 8-3 in head-to-head meetings this season and are now nine games ahead of the Dodgers the National League West standings.
