Balk-Off! Dodgers Beat Rangers 1-0 on Bizarre Final Play

Dodgers super utility player Kiké Hernandez tried two steal home with two-outs in the bottom of the ninth, and Rangers rookie reliever Keone Kela was called for the balk as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Texas 1-0 on Thursday night in the most bizarre of plays.

Kela was called in for the save a night earlier as the Rangers held off the Dodgers 5-3. It was the LA native's first career major league save, but he was facing all sorts of pressure after walking the first two batters he saw in the bottom of the ninth.

After a free pass to Yasmani Grandal, Hernandez came in to pinch run. Another base-on-balls to Andre Ethier gave the Dodgers runners on first and second with no outs before Alberto Callaspo grounded into a double play. With two outs, and Hernandez on the third, the Puerto Rican started running towards the plate and Kela flinched, and home plate umpire Marvin Hudson called him for a balk, awarding Hernandez home plate.

"Sorry guys, I'm so tired from trying to steal home plate," Hernandez joked after the game. "This was the kind of win that can hopefully get the team going."

The walk-off balk overshadowed the unlikely pitcher's duel between Dodgers ace, Zack Greinke and newcomer Anthony Ranaudo.

Greinke allowed no runs on four hits, striking out eight in seven innings, but again got nothing to show for it for the eighth consecutive game. Greinke is 0-2 with a astonishing 1.99 ERA in his last eight starts, but the Boys in Blue have provided the former AL Cy Young winner with no run support as they have averaged three runs or fewer in all of his starts.

Ranaudo nearly matched Greinke pitch-for-pitch allowing no runs on five hits, striking out four in 6.2 innings of work. Ranaudo was making a spot start for Texas after he was called up from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day.

The Dodgers won a rare replay review in the top of the seventh inning, when Elvis Andrus was called out at third base after an umpire review. Had the play not been overturned, the Rangers would have had runners on first and third with two outs. The replay review got the Dodgers out of the inning, and kept the game scoreless.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen (2-0) picked up the win after working a perfect ninth inning.

Game Notes:
The Dodgers salvaged one game out of four against the Rangers after losing the first three in the series (two in Arlington, one in Los Angeles).