Alex Guerrero walk-off single ends Dodgers wild night

LOS ANGELES -- A game that was wild early settled down late, and the Dodgers finished strong in a 6-5 win over the Mariners to open a three-game series on Monday night at Dodger Stadium, thanks to a walk-off single from Alex Guerrero in the 10th inning.

It was the first walk-off hit for Guerrero, who drove in two on the night.

Andre Ethier opened the 10th inning with a double to right center field against Dominic Leone, followed by a ground ball back to the box by Yasiel Puig and an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez. An unintentional walk to Howie Kendrick brought a pitching change, with southpaw Tyler Olson brought in to face Carl Crawford, who struck out.

Olson was left in to face Guerrero, and paid the price.

Guerrero, who has driven in six runs in the last two games, was down two strikes early in the 10th-inning at-bat before hitting a changeup to right center field.

"In that situation, it's just about making contact," Guerrero said. "You're not really looking for a home run, just putting it in play."

The Dodgers improved to 1-1 in extra innings this season.

Brandon McCarthy had one of the most confounding starts ever, allowing four home runs, which accounted for all five Mariners runs. But he was also at times electric, and good enough to strike out 10 and last seven innings. He allowed five runs, but also retired 11 of his final 12 batters faced, including six by strikeout.

McCarthy ended up allowing five runs, four home runs with his 10 strikeouts, just the 11th MLB start with four homers and 10 strikeouts since 1914, and the first with no walks.

The Dodgers trailed 4-0 and 5-3, but clawed back with five runs combined in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the score, the key hits a solo home run for Puig - his second straight game with a long ball - and a two-run single by Joc Pederson against southpaw James Paxton, Pederson's first career hit against a left-handed pitcher (in his ninth at-bat against them).

Aggressive base running helped the Dodgers cause, with Scott Van Slyke alertly advancing to second base in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Guerrero, when the Mariners had nobody covering the base. Both Van Slyke in the fourth and Adrian Gonzalez scored easily from second base on balls hit to left fielder Seth Smith and right fielder Nelson Cruz, respectively, thanks in part to throws that were well short of the plate.

Pedro Baez and Paco Rodriguez combined for a scoreless eighth inning, culminating with Rodriguez striking out lefty Robinson Cano to end the frame. Joel Peralta pitched a perfect ninth, including a strikeout.

Yimi Garcia pitched a scoreless 10th inning for his first major league win. Garcia struck out two, and leads Dodgers relievers with eight strikeouts on the season. He has struck out eight of his 19 hitters faced (42.1 percent) in 2015.

Dodgers pitchers retired 20 of their final 22 batters faced, including 11 by strikeout.

Monday particulars

Home runs: Yasiel Puig (2); Nelson Cruz 2 (4), Kyle Seager (2), Dustin Ackley (3)

WP - Yimi Garcia (1-0): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts

LP - Dominic Leone (0-1): 2⅓ IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 2 walks