Dodgers' Improbable Run Continues as They Rally Past Royals, 5-4, in Extra Innings

Cody Bellinger tied the game with one swing and then won the game with his patience as the Los Angeles Dodgers completed their 23rd comeback of the season as they rallied past the Royals, 5-4, on Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium.

They're simply the best.

Cody Bellinger tied the game with one swing and then won the game without swinging, as the Los Angeles Dodgers completed their 23rd comeback of the season, rallying past the Royals, 5-4, on Saturday evening at Dodger Stadium.

The leading candidate for National League Rookie of the Year tied the game with his 25th home run of the season in the bottom of the eighth, then walked on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, as the Dodgers won their fifth straight game.

Nearly 46,000 fans battled the record heat ,which reached highs of 112 degrees in the San Fernando Valley and was 99 at the Ravine by the time first pitch rolled around.

"I didn't think it was too bad," starting pitcher, Brandon McCarthy said of the heat. "I'm not going to complain about LA heat. I've played in Texas, I've played in Arizona, this is hot, but not horrfific."

Even the elderly crowd had difficulty with the conditions as one Grandma on the in-stadium videoboard flashed the crowd while shown on the screen.

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"I heard about it, but I think I missed the show," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts. "My players said I had a missed opportunity."

Joc Pederson beat the heat with a two-run home run in the second inning off Ian Kennedy that put the Dodgers out in front.

The two-run blast was Pederson's ninth of the season as the center fielder has hit seven of those home runs over the last month of the season.

However, Joc didn't just do it with his bat as the center fielder also showed off his arm when he threw out Jorge Bonifacio at the plate in the top half of the fourth inning.

"That was a big play," said Roberts. "He made a couple nice plays in center field today."

Brandon McCarthy ran into some trouble in back-to-back frames as the Royals scored runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

"It got wobbly there in the middle, but I was able to land the dismount," McCarthy said of the fourth and fifth innings. "Overall it was a good step forward in terms of learning where I'm at."

Whit Merrifield hit a two-out double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a passed ball. Merrifield was not done, as he tied the game with an RBI single in the top of the seventh.

McCarthy, who was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list before the game, did not factor in the decision as he allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and a single strikeout in six solid innings.

Kansas City starter, Ian Kennedy, also did not factor in the decision, as the former Padres' pitcher allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in six innings.

"Ian threw great. He kept us in the ball game and threw six strong innings," said Royals' manager Ned Yost. "We had opportunities, we just didn't capitalize on them."

Salvador Perez broke the tie off Dodgers' reliever Pedro Baez in the top of the eighth as the Venezuelan catcher crushed a 98MPH fastball to dead-center that gave the Royals the lead.

Not to be out done, All-Star and Home Run Derby participant, Cody Bellinger, broke out of an 11-game homerless slump with his 25th long ball of the year, 402-foot blast off an 89 MPH changeup from former Royals' closer Joakim Soria.

"I've been making constant adjustments," Bellinger said of his first homer in his last 11 games. "It's going to be a constant up and down. You just have to ride out the highs as long as you can."

Bellinger became the second fastest in MLB history to 25 home runs, accomplishing the feat in his 69th game. Chicago White Sox slugger, Jose Abreu, is the only player to accomplish the feat in a faster time.

After scoreless innings of relief from Kenley Jansen and Ross Stripling in the 9th and 10th innings respectively, Bellinger gave the Dodgers their sixth walk-off win of the season when he literally walked with the bases loaded to win the game.

"We put extra focus on Herrera because we knew we were going to face him in a clutch situation," said Bellinger of facing the Royals' closer in that situation. "I missed my opportunity on 3-1, and luckily he just missed his slider on 3-2."

Despite blowing an early three-run lead, the Dodgers improved to 50-0 when leading after five innings.

The Dodgers last five games have all been decided by one-run as the Dodgers currently hold the best run differential in Major League history at the All-Star Break with a mark of +160. That number can improve or decrease on Sunday.

The victory gives the Dodgers a record of 60-29, the first time to reach 60 wins in all of baseball as they surpass the Houston Astros for the best record in the league with the win. 

It's the first time L.A. has reached the 60-win mark before the All-Star Game since 1974 and according to ESPN Stats and Info, they are just the fourth team in the last 40 years to win 60 games before the All-Star break.

Up Next:

A matchup of two of the top left-handers in the game takes place on Sunday as Danny Duffy goes to-to-toe with Clayton Kershaw in the final game before the All-Star Break. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10PM PST.

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