Monday’s series opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants was headlined by Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner, sidetracked by an altercation between Bumgarner and Puig, and capped off by Adrian Gonzalez.
The Giants’ left-handed ace turned in seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit and collecting 10 strikeouts. It was the type of performance San Francisco needed as they entered play five games back of the Dodgers in the National League West.
But Bumgarner’s night came to a grinding halt after he and Puig got into a shouting, then shoving match. That left a beleaguered Giants bullpen to record six outs without surrendering a 1-0 lead.
Will Smith and Derek Law combined to throw a perfect eighth inning. Javier Lopez and Hunter Strickland unraveled in the ninth.
Pinch-hitter Andrew Toles led off with a base hit to right field. Corey Seager followed with a single of his own, putting runners on the corners with nobody out.
Strickland was summoned out of the bullpen, and he promptly allowed a game-tying, RBI single to Justin Turner. A handful of pitches later, Gonzalez pulled a hanging slider into right field for a walk-off RBI double:
AND ENDED WITH THIS. pic.twitter.com/j51SIUProj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2016
Gonzalez’s past three walk-off hits have all come against the Giants. Prior to Monday’s hit, he delivered a knockout punch on Aug. 31, 2015 and Sept. 12, 2013.
Gonzalez said he picked up on Strickland throwing two-seam fastballs in effort to induce a grounder, and focused on getting a pitch he could elevate.
