The Los Angeles Dodgers looked to rebound from a listless performance against the Atlanta Braves behind Ross Stripling in the middle of a three-game series at Turner Field. Atlanta started Julio, who was scratched from Tuesday’s start due to illness.
Teheran retired the side in order in the first, ending the inning with a strikeout of Justin Turner. Daniel Castro lined a one-out base hit under Turner’s glove, then moved into scoring position with two outs on an A.J. Pierzynski walk.
Kelly Johnson worked a full count in a nine-pitch at-bat, only to end the inning on a strikeout. Yasmani Grandal continued to swing a hot bat as he hit a two-out double off the right field fence in the second inning. Conversely, Howie Kendrick didn’t break out of his slump and chased a pitch in the dirt for strike three.
Stripling bounced back to only throw 10 pitches in the second inning, working around a two-out base hit to keep the game locked in a scoreless tie. Utley dropped a flare single into shallow left field with two outs in the third inning.
He then moved into scoring position on Teheran’s errant pickoff throw. For a second time in as many games, Corey Seager narrowly missed hitting a home run down the right field line. He was called out on strikes three pitches later, much to his dismay.
Seager then booted a routine grounder in the bottom of the third, allowing Nick Markakis to reach with no outs. Markakis was then erased on a force out at second base and replaced by Castro at first.
Castro stole second base on a pitch in the dirt that Freeman struck out on. The error cost the Dodgers as Pierzynski’s two-out RBI single gave the Braves a 1-0 lead.
CONTINUE READING: Dodgers bullpen answers bell, game goes to extra innings
Erick Aybar led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to left field, just beating Kendrick’s throw to second base. Jace Peterson followed with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Aybar was caught in a rundown as Grandal made a heads-up play after fielding a bunt in front of the plate.
With two outs and runners on second and third, Markakis was intentionally walked. The Dodgers didn’t reap any benefit from their decision as Castro went and got a low pitch for a two-run single. Stripling was removed after throwing 76 pitches in 3.2 innings and the Dodgers trailing 3-0.
Adam Liberatore struck out Freeman to end the inning. Kendrick found himself standing on third base as his single to right field took a bad hop and got by Markakis. Joc Pederson’s RBI single cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 3-1.
However, Pederson was then caught stealing for the second out of the inning. Pinch-hitter Trayce Thompson kept the inning alive with a base hit, but was stranded. J.P. Howell entered in the bottom of the fifth and set the Braves down in order, aided by a pair of nice defensive plays by Utley.
Teheran gave way to Eric O’Flahetry after giving up a one-out single to Turner in the sixth inning. The left-handed reliever gave up a game-tying two-run home run to Adrian Gonzalez and was immediately removed.
Chris Withrow entered and retired Puig and Grandal to send the game to the bottom of the sixth tied at 3-3. Howell recorded two outs in the sixth and was then replaced by Chris Hatcher, who ended the inning by striking out Drew Stubbs.
Kiké Hernandez, who entered in left field as part of the double switch that brought Hatcher in, drew a one-out walk in the seventh. Hernandez then stole second base with two outs and the call was upheld after a Braves challenge.
Hernandez advanced to third on Hunter Cervenka’s wild pitch, where he was stranded by Seager. Hatcher retired all three batters faced in the bottom half of the inning to send the game to the eighth tied at 3-3. Jim Johnson struck out Turner and Gonzalez, then got Puig to ground out for a scoreless inning of relief.
Pierzynski greeted Yimi Garcia with a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth. Nothing came of it as Garcia retired the next three batters. Arodys Vizcaino struck out the side consisting of pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson, Pederson and Hernandez after issuing a leadoff walk in the ninth.
Joe Blanton walked Markakis with two outs before sending the game to extra innings. Jason Grilli gave up a leadoff single to Utley in the 10th, then walked Seager on four pitches to put two on with no outs. Mallex Smith misread a fly ball to center and came up short on a diving catch attempt, resulting in a go-ahead double for Turner.
Grilli intentionally walked Gonzalez to load the bases with no outs, and struck out Puig. Alexi Ogando entered and promptly gave up an RBI single to Grandal. The Dodgers ran into an out as Culberson squared around to bunt but pulled back and Turner was caught too far down the third base line.
Kenley Jansen entered in the bottom of the 10th and converted the save opportunity to wrap up the Dodgers’ 5-3 win.