Dodgers slam Giants in grand 5-1 win

After the rollercoaster of a game in the series opener between the Dodgers and the Giants, the second game of the four game set was more of a traditional low-scoring close game until Cody Bellinger’s two-out two-strike grand slam in the bottom of the eighth.

Logan Webb nearly lost it in the first inning, but he settled down to match Tyler Anderson’s six innings of work. Webb and Anderson allowed a run each, but Anderson’s was unearned on a Max Muncy error.

The game started on a weird note. Mark Prior came out for a mound visit after Tyler Anderson’s fourth pitch. The umpires huddled for a moment, but there was no announcement to what the delay was about.

After the odd delay, Anderson struck out Austin Slater for the first out in the 1-2-3 scoreless inning.

Webb Walks Four in First Two Frames

Mookie Betts cannot be stopped. He smacked the first pitch he saw from Logan Webb up the middle for a leadoff base hit. Betts must have been rattled after Mookie came out swinging. Webb walked three straight in the 28-pitch inning. The struggling right-hander walked Lux, and nearly hit, on four straight balls to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Webb walked Trayce Thompson with one out in the second, and Mookie took advantage of the flustered Webb and the Giants’ sloppy defense. Mookie picked up his second hit in as many innings, and Thompson made it all the way to third on a Yermin Mercedes fielding error in left field.

Anderson Cashes In

Anderson retired the first eight batters before a Mike Yastrzemski chopper to the left side beat the shift. A hit was allowed, but a half a million was earned.

A two-out base hit by Yermin Mercedes in the top of the fourth tied the game at a run apiece.

Webb found himself after the rough first inning, but the Dodgers threatened again in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles by Trea Turner and Freeman. Will Smith lined out to center fielder Austin Slater, and the rivals remained tied.

David Price took over for Anderson out of the Dodgers’ bullpen and pitched a scoreless seventh.

Yency Almonte found himself in some hot water in the eighth, but Alex Vesia came in to face David Villar with two on and two outs. Lux and Freeman made a good play to just get Villar out on a soft grounder.

Bellislam

The Dodgers loaded the bases again in the eighth. Freeman, hit machine, singled to start things off. A wild pitch by reliever Sam Long allowed Freddie to move into scoring position. Then the go-ahead run moved to third with Freeman on more poor defense and another error for the Giants. Long struck out Lux swinging, but then he hit Jake Lamb.

Bellinger was in a huge spot with the bases loaded and two outs. Belli was down to his final strike when he crushed a grand slam to right field. The crowd at Dodger Stadium erupted.

Craig Kimbrel closed it out in the ninth to give the Dodgers their sixth win in a row and 17th win in their last 19 games.

Friday particulars

WP — Alex Vesia (2-0): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

LP — Sam Long (1-3): 4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

HR — Cody Bellinger (12)

Stolen Base Count: 59

Up next

The Dodgers go for the series win Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Julio Urías (8-6, 2.89 ERA, 3.99 FIP) takes on old friend Alex Wood (6-7, 4.20 ERA, 3.10 FIP).

First pitch is at 4:15 p.m. PT on FOX.