The Los Angeles Dodgers jumped out to an early lead that Kenta Maeda was unable to hold but it ended in a thrilling 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers in 11 innings. The walk-off win was their first this season.
Justin Turner provided early fireworks with a solo home run in the first inning, which was his second of the season. Then with one out in the second inning, Yasiel Puig and Austin Barnes successfully pulled off a double steal.
Puig scored on the play as Robinson Chirinos’ throw to third base went through Adrian Beltre’s legs and into left field. Chirinos prevented a run from scoring in the third inning when he held on to a throw from right field despite a collision with Matt Kemp.
Chirinos gave an extra shove after the play, which Kemp took exception to and they came face-to-face as benches spilled onto the field. The dust-up led to both players getting ejected.
That sequence may sparked the Rangers, who finally broke through against Kenta Maeda. He got through two scoreless innings on 14 pitches and retired the first seven batters. Rougned Odor snapped that streak with a one-out single and Shin-Soo Choo walked to put two on.
But both runners were stranded as Maeda retired Delino DeShields to end the third inning. Adrian Beltre doubled with one out and scored on Profar’s single. The Dodgers challenged the safe call, and replay appeared to show Barnes tag Beltre in time, but the ruling was upheld.
Joey Gallo then followed with an RBI single that tied the game before Maeda could get through the fourth inning. While the Dodgers had a call go against them, they benefitted from an overturned ruling in the fifth.
Choo’s drive to left-center field was initially ruled a home run but replay showed it instead hit off the top of the fence. That proved key, because the Rangers failed to cash in the leadoff double.
The fifth inning was Maeda’s last, which was hardly a surprise considering he’d just returned from the disabled list. Maeda was bested by Cole Hamels, who went six innings, also allowed just two runs (one earned) and navigated his way through traffic (four walks).
Both bullpens put together scoreless work, sending the game into extra innings. Some of that was also due to Barnes grounding into a double play in the ninth inning, which he later atoned for, with some luck.
Barnes hit a comebacker that Matt Bush fielded but threw wide of home plate, allowing Kiké Hernandez to avoid the tag and score the winning run.
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