Dodgers rally in 7th to beat Brewers

LOS ANGELES -- Andre Ethier and Joc Pederson culminated a three-run seventh-inning rally, lifting the Dodgers to a 3-2 win over the Brewers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

It was the third straight victory for the Dodgers, and their 50th win of the season, matching their high-water mark in 2015 of 12 games over .500.

Down 2-0, the seventh-inning rally began with a two-out grounder to third base, booted by Hernan Perez, allowing Alex Guerrero to reach first safely. Jimmy Rollins followed with a single to center, then stole second base, putting the tying run in scoring position for the pinch-hitter Ethier, who didn't start on Friday because of what manager Don Mattingly termed as general soreness.

Ethier delivered a single to center to score Guerrero and Rollins, then Pederson hit a long fly ball off the short wall in left field for a double to score Ethier, just missing a home run.

"He had one good run in him," Mattingly joked of Ethier.

"He's got a good swing, it's simple," Mattingly continued. "He's got experience and he can come off the bench and give you a good at-bat."

Pederson entered the game 2-for-27 (.074) with two walks and eight strikeouts in July, but was 2-for-4 with a double on Friday.

The rally ruined an otherwise stellar outing by Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, who didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning. Nelson struck out six and walked two in his seven innings.

"He's got good stuff. He's a guy you've got to keep in the strike zone. He's got big movement, and the ball's going to be live," Mattingly said. "He's one of those effectively wild guys for me."

Milwaukee opened a wild fifth inning with singles by Jean Segura and Scooter Gennett, then both advanced a base on a wild pitch by Mike Bolsinger, who struck out Nelson for the first out of the inning. Gerardo Parra grounded to second for one run, and Bolsinger uncorked a his second wild pitch of the inning for the second run of the inning.

The Dodgers tried to answer in the bottom of the inning when Yasmani Grandal was hit by a pitch, then followed by a force out by Yasiel Puig. Puig then stole second base and, when Jonathan Lucroy's throw went into center field, advanced to third base with only one out. But Alex Guerrero struck out and Jimmy Rollins flew out to center to strand Puig at third base and keep the Dodgers off the board in both runs and hits.

Those two runs were all Bolsinger would allow, as the right-hander pitched his best game free of shellfish-related ailments in over a month. Bolsinger lasted six innings, his longest outing since June 8, and the fifth time in 13 starts he has lasted that long this season.

"His stuff's going to continue to be the same. The more he can throw the fastball where he wants, and when he's getting the breaking ball over he's going to keep himself in the game," Mattingly said. "We saw tonight command of the breaking ball and throwing strikes with his fastball."

Bolsinger struck out six and walked one in his no-decision.

Welcome back

Chin-hui Tsao entered the game in relief and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, his first major league outing since July 14, 2007. Tsao, 34, allowed two hits and struck out a batter. Thanks to the Dodgers rally in the bottom of the inning, Tsao picked up his first major league win since May 11, 2005, when he was with Colorado.

"I'd like to thank God and the team for this game today. I'm very lucky to get this win," Tsao said through an interpreter. "This feels like a dream."

Tsao is the 18th different Dodgers pitcher to pitch in relief this season, and the 25th overall, the latter matching their total for all of 2014.

Up next

Brandon Beachy will make his first major league start in 690 days on Saturday night, a 7:10 p.m. PT start. The Brewers will counter with rookie right-hander Taylor Jungmann on the mound.

Friday particulars

Home runs: none

WP - Chin-hui Tsao (1-0): 1 IP, 2 hits, 1 strikeout

LP - Jimmy Nelson (6-9): 7 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (none earned), 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

Sv - Kenley Jansen (15): 1 IP, 2 strikeouts