Two teams. One city. What a series so far.
Kole Calhoun hit the game-winning home run in the 10th inning and the Angels defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in extra innings on Sunday evening at Chavez Ravine.
Following another one-run game in the first game of the Freeway Series, the Angels took the lead with a last-gasp homer off Dodgers' closer Kenley Jansen.
Calhoun hit his third home run in his last two games when he crushed a 90MPH cutter from Kenley after the Dodgers rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.
"He's swinging a hot bat," Jansen said of Calhoun. "It wasn't quite enough in and when you make mistakes like that sometimes they're going to get you, and today they got me. He got me."
Trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Chase Utley kicked off his farewell tour with a leadoff single, and scored a few pitches later on an RBI double for Yasmani Grandal.
"He's very good off the bench and always gives you a good at-bat," said Roberts of Utley's pinch-hitting ability. "He has for three years...Every time he steps into the box he's prepared and knows how to approach that particular pitcher."
Grandal hit a rope to left field that froze Upton like a deer in headlights. By the time the left-fielder knew what hit him, the ball was already over his head and Utley was on his way to the plate for the tying run.
Dodgers' starter Alex Wood got off to a rough start as the Halos had three straight hits to start the scoring in the top of the first inning.
"The first inning was tough," said Wood of his labored start. "I thought I made some quality pitches that they put in play and good things happened for them. Overall, I thought me and Austin were on the same page and I thought I pitched them pretty well."
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Andrelton Simmons hit a one-out double, and Mike Trout and Justin Upton followed with singles as the Angels led 1-0.
David Fletcher hit a sacrifice fly to score the second run of the game in the second inning, and Wood walked Trout and Upton to bring in the third run of the game.
Angels' starter Andrew Heaney handed the Dodgers some help in the bottom of the second inning. Alex Wood hit a dribbler back to the pitcher with runners on first and second and two outs, but Heaney's throw pulled Jefry Marte off the bag at first, and the bases were loaded.
Heaney then hit Chris Taylor on a curveball in the dirt and the Dodgers cut the lead one, at 3-2.
Taylor wasn't finished as he tied the game with a solo shot off Heaney to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.
Taylor has played well in six home games in the month of July, hitting .391 with five runs, one double, one triple, two homers, and nine RBI.
Wood settled in the rest of the way, but did not factor in the decision, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts in six innings.
"I think early on it wasn't sharp," said Roberts of Wood. "I think today was one of those days where he willed himself to get through six innings. He kinda bowed his neck and found a way to keep us in the ballgame."
Entering the game, Dodgers' reliever Dylan Floro had been perfect for the Boys in Blue in three appearances since he was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds on the Fourth of July.
That streak came to an end on Saturday, as Upton greeted Floro with a go-ahead home run in the top of the seventh.
"The stuff came out of his hand really good. He had a good sequence against Trout, but he tried to go back to the well against Upton and he put a really good swing on it," said Roberts of Floro's pitch to Upton. "If you look back, it wasn't a bad pitch, but he's swinging the bat well and seeing it well. Floro has been very good for us."
Heaney did not factor in the decision, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six and 1/3 innings.
At the plate, Heany reached base on an infield single in the second inning, his first hit since 2014.
Starting pitcher Rich Hill appeared in relief for the Dodgers in the eighth inning, marking his first regular season relief appearance since Sept. 23, 2014 when he was with the Yankees.
"He's going to start one of the first three games after the break in Milwaukee," said Roberts if Hill would stay in the bullpen. "So just to keep him sharp, give him some game action, is a little bit more intense than just a side session."
The Dodgers came close to tying the game again in the bottom of the 10th inning when Andrew Toles continued to pick on Upton with a fly ball to left field. Upton whiffed on the ball, ran into the wall and hit the ground, as Toles stood standing on second.
One pitch later, Toles advanced to third base on a passed ball, but was left stranded to end the game as Grandal struck out to end the game.
The two LA-based rivals have played a total of five games of the Freeway Series this season. The Angels lead the series three games to two, but both teams have each scored 15 total runs in the five games.
"You take into consideration geography and the familiarity, but we play each other very evenly," said Roberts of the Freeway Series so far. "It's always a fun series and I know that the fans enjoy it."
Up Next:
The Angels are expected to have a bullpen game on Sunday before they head into the All-Star break as the Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10PM PST.
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