Wild, Wild West: Dodgers Rally Off Milwaukee Reliever Will Smith; Beat Brewers 4-3

Two words: "All Star."

Adrian Gonzalez hit the game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers once again came from behind to beat the Brewers 4-3 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers got jiggy with it in the final game before the All-Star break as they rallied off Brewers reliever Will Smith for two runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Howie Kendrick started the inning with a single, but advanced to second on an error by center fielder Carlos Gomez. Four pitches later, Gonzalez sent a Smith slider into the right field pavilion and the Dodgers had completed the comeback.

"I wasn't quite waiting on it [the slider], somehow I was able to stay through it and get a good piece of wood on it," Gonzalez said. "I had a two-strike approach and tried to make sure I didn't strike out."

Los Angeles claimed their 24th comeback victory of the season, and their fifth win when trailing in the seventh inning or later.

"Our guys don't quit playing and keep hanging in there," Mattingly said. "Last year, I don't think we came back at all, or ever. Hopefully, this says something to the character of our club."

The ball was traveling out of Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the perfect summer day gave way to a trio of solo home runs before Gonzalez's blast. Ryan Braun, Hernan Perez, and A.J. Ellis all hit solo shots. For Ellis, it was his second homer in as many starts, and for Perez, the first long ball of his career.

Brett Anderson gave the Dodgers his 11th quality start in 18 outings, but the best ground ball pitcher in baseball couldn't stop the Brewers from going deep in the first and third innings. Anderson allowed three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in seven innings.

"Solo homers don't usually beat you, and thankfully I was able to make some pitches after that," Anderson said.

Anderson escaped a bases loaded, no out jam in the top of the fourth inning that could have busted the game open for the Brewers. After an RBI ground out, Anderson got Milwaukee pitcher Kyle Lohse to bunt back to him where he quickly fired to the plate for the out. One batter later, Khris Davis grounded out to end the inning and Anderson had kept his team in the game.

"It was tremendous to get out of that fourth inning," Anderson continued. "I minimized the damage and got out of it fairly unscathed and it turned the momentum."

Lohse pitched well enough to get the victory, but the Native American settled for a no-decision allowing just two runs on four hits with six strikeouts in five innings.

Justin Turner went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Boys in Blue. Turner had been hitless in his last 10 at-bats before today.

"I was scuffling a bit over the last week," Turner said. "I watched some film, made a couple adjustments and felt good again today."

Kenley Jansen struck out shortstop Jean Segura to end the game earning his 16th save of the season.

Game Notes:
Howie Kendrick celebrated his 32nd birthday going 1-for-4, scoring the game tying run in the 8th.

Clayton Kershaw was added to the 2015 NL All-Star Team before the game by San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Kershaw replaced Max Scherzer who pitched on Sunday for the Nationals, making him unavailable for Tuesday's Midsummer Classic.

"Well deserving and long overdue," Ellis said of his friend and star pitcher. "He should have been selected in the beginning. The same guy that won the MVP Award has been on the mound as of late."

The Dodgers announced that rookie Joc Pederson would start in center field in the All-Star game after an injury to St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday.

Zack Greinke could be in line to start the All-Star Game after Scherzer's start on Sunday. Greinke would become the first Dodgers' pitcher to start the All-Star Game since Brad Penny in 2006.