After going hitless on the seven-game homestand, Adrian Gonzalez knocked a two-out single to center field in the third inning. Justin Turner, who’s also been scuttling at the plate, followed with a bloop double to right field.
Moore worked his way out of the small jam by getting Kendrick to fly out, keeping the Dodgers’ lead at 3-1. Kazmir got a pair of fly outs in the bottom of the third, then ran into some trouble. Longoria walked and Steve Pearce hit a single to center to put runners on first and second.
Both runners were stranded as Steven Souza Jr. was caught looking to give Kazmir five strikeouts through three innings. The southpaw wasn’t as lucky in the fourth, allowing a one-out single to Tim Beckham, and later a game-tying two-run homer to Casali.
Hernandez drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth, and Puig’s too-hot-to-handle chopper to Longoria gave the Dodgers two on with no outs. After a Gonzalez line out, Turner worked a walk to load the bases.
Kendrick pulled a Moore’s first pitch for a two-run double that gave the Dodgers a 5-3 lead. The RBI(s) and extra-base hit were the first of the season for Kendrick. With the Rays infield drawn in, Thompson beat the shift with a two-run single by a diving Forsythe.
Steve Geltz replaced Moore and struck out Ellis. Thompson was then caught stealing to end the inning. Tampa Bay cut into their deficit in the bottom of the fifth behind a Pearce two-out solo home run. Kazmir caught Souza Jr. looking to end the inning, giving him a season-high seven strikeouts.
After the Dodgers went down in order in the sixth, Kazmir did the same to the Rays in the bottom half of the inning. Jhan Martinez replaced Geltz in the seventh and retired Puig, Gonzalez and Turner. Kazmir collected his ninth strikeout before exiting after 6.2 innings.
Joe Blanton stranded a runner on first base by striking out Longoria to end the seventh inning. Kendrick connected for his third of the game, leading off the eighth with a single. He eventually reached second base on a grounder, where he was stranded.
Puig added to the Dodgers’ lead in the ninth with a three-run home run. Gonzalez beat the shift with a single to left and Kendrick collected his fourth hit, but both were stranded. J.P. Howell issued a pair of two-out walks and allowed a single to load the bases.
He then hit Longoria with a pitch to bring a run in. Kenley Jansen entered for Howell and recorded the final out to earn a save in the Dodgers’ 10-5 win.
