Dodgers roar back, fall in extras anyway

Brandon Drury singled home Paul Goldschmidt in the 12th inning to give the Diamondbacks a 10-9 walk-off win over the Dodgers, spoiling what was a comeback from down six runs earlier in the game.

With San Francisco’s loss on Sunday, the Dodgers maintained their five-game lead in the National League West, with 13 games left to play. Their magic number to clinch the division is nine.

Ross Stripling pitched four innings in relief and had two outs with nobody on in the 12th inning, but a hustle double on a line drive to center field by Goldschmidt put a runner in scoring position. He scored on a single to left by Drury, who drove home the game-winner in the other extra-inning game between these two teams, on July 16.

The Dodgers used 24 players on Sunday, including nine pitchers. They had three different center fielders and three different second baseman. This was all Yasmani Grandal getting the day off, as did relievers Kenley Jansen, Joe Blanton, Grant Dayton and Pedro Baez.

It was the only run allowed by Stripling, who suffered the loss.

The game seemed destined to point out many of the Dodgers’ flaws, but ended up illuminating some of their strengths, too.

The Dodgers have struggled against left-handed pitchers this season, at or near the bottom in most categories, hitting .213/.292/.334 against southpaws on the season, and including just .191/.273/.289 since Aug. 1.

Robbie Ray on Sunday seemed to drive that point home, retiring his first 14 batters faced until Kiké Hernandez homered in the fifth.

Down 7-1 in the sixth, the Dodgers still had their work cut out for them, with Ray still on the mound. But back-to-back doubles by Howie Kendrick and Justin Turner got the Dodgers another run, then a walk and single brought home another, ending Ray’s day.

Randall Delgado in relief walked his first two batters faced to force in a run, loading the bases in a 7-4 game. Adrian Gonzalez was up, but rather than face the right-hander he saw southpaw Edwin Escobar instead.

Gonzalez smashed a double into the right field corner to clear the bases, tying the game at 7-7.

Kendrick hit a two-run double to give the Dodgers a 9-7 lead in the eighth inning, but in the bottom of the inning Chris Owings hit a two-run home run to tie things up again. Arizona loaded the bases after that home run against three Dodgers relievers, but a fine play by Kendrick at third base ended the threat to keep the game tied.

Kendrick had just moved to third base earlier in the inning on a double switch, in a game he started in left field and also played second base. It was the third time Kendrick has played three positions in one game in 2016, having also done so on May 4 and May 20.

Rough start

Jose De Leon got hit around a little bit, which is to be expected in just his third major league start. He allowed six runs and couldn’t get out of the fourth inning, the big blow a two-run home run from Mitch Haniger, part of a three-run inning that gave Arizona a surmountable 6-0 lead.

De Leon struck out two and walked two, though one of the walks was intentional.

Goldschmidt happens

Goldschmidt scored the winning run but was 1-for-6 with a walk on Sunday. It capped a rough series for Goldschmidt, who was 2-for-18 (.111) with nine strikeouts this weekend.

The Dodgers held Goldschmidt in check in 2016, holding him to just .211/.265/.368 with 25 strikeouts and six walks in 19 games. In his career, Goldschmidt has hit .314/.375/.570 with 24 home runs, 22 doubles and 77 RBI in 95 games.

Up next

The Dodgers return home on Sunday night, and host the Giants in a showdown series beginning tomorrow at Dodger Stadium. Both teams have set up their starting rotations the last few weeks for this series, which starts with Clayton Kershaw against Madison Bumgarner at 7:10 p.m. PT on Monday night.

Sunday particulars

Home runs: Kiké Hernandez (7); Mitch Haniger (3), Brandon Drury (15), Chris Owings (4)

WP - Matt Koch (1-0): 3 up, 3 down

LP - Ross Stripling (4-8): 4 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts