Los Angeles Dodgers

Chris Taylor's defense, RBI single in 10th lifts Dodgers to 3-2 win over Giants in final home game of regular season

Chris Taylor’s line-drive single to center field in the 10th inning lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants 3-2.

San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers

Chris Taylor’s line-drive single to center field in the 10th inning lifted the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Sunday night.

Amed Rosario began the inning at second base and took third on pinch-hitter Kolten Wong’s groundout to short. Taylor singled off Camilo Dorval (6-6) to drive in Rosario and give the Dodgers a 6-6 record in extra-inning games this season.

It was Taylor's third walk-off hit of his career, and the seventh walk-off victory for the Dodgers this season.

The Giants loaded the bases in the top of the 10th. Pinch-hitter Mitch Haniger was the designated runner at second to start the inning. After J.D. Davis struck out, Joc Pederson was intentionally walked by Shelby Miller (3-0). Thairo Estrada hit a fly ball to center that Kiké Hernández lost in the gathering dusk. It fell to his left to load the bases.

But the Dodgers got out of trouble with an amazing inning-ending double play. Pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey grounded up the middle, with the ball catching Miller's arm before the shortstop tagged second and threw to first.

Sports

Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.

Keanu Reeves goes for a spin in pro racing debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Shohei Ohtani feeling the excitement, not nerves ahead of MLB postseason debut

The Giants loaded the bases in the ninth against Evan Phillips. Michael Conforto got hit by a pitch, Marco Luciano singled and with two outs, LaMonte Wade Jr. was intentionally walked. Haniger went down swinging to end the threat.

Dodgers starter Lance Lynn gave up his major league-leading 43rd homer to Wade in the fifth. Tyler Fitzgerald singled leading off and Wade followed with a 403-foot shot to center that tied the game at 2-all.

James Outman went deep on the first pitch from reliever Tyson Beck for his 22nd homer, scoring J.D. Martinez who doubled for a 2-0 lead in the second.

Outman's homer came on the first pitch. The rookie is hitting .404 with six home runs when swinging at the first pitch of an at-bat he's seen this season.

Lynn got into a bases-loaded, two-outs jam in the third, sandwiching walks to Mike Yastrzemski and Pederson around a single to Wilmer Flores. He extricated himself by hustling to catch a bunt popped up by Thairo Estrada near the third-base line that ended the inning.

Mookie Betts showed off his defensive skills with back-to-back diving stops to end the fifth. Playing second, he snagged a grounder to his right by Davis and whipped a throw across his body to first. Then Pederson sent a shot to right and Betts dived and got the throw off to first for the third out.

Davis, who entered as a defensive replacement in the fourth, went into foul territory to snag a sharply hit ball by Betts and made a one-hop throw to first to get Betts to end the eighth.

Lynn allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked three. Since being traded to the Dodgers at the end of July, Lynn has pitched into the seventh inning in six of his 10 starts.

An underrated part of the Dodgers success this season has been their bullpen. Earlier in the season, they had the second-worst bullpen ERA in all of baseball, but since June 21, they've ranked first in that category and are now third overall.

One reason for that success is hard-throwing right-hander Brusdar Graterol, who has not allowed an earned run since July 24. He currently has the largest scoreless innings streak on the Dodgers staff with 23 consecutive shutout innings and counting.

The Giants lost eight of 10 to end their road trip. They were outscored 60-33 on the trip. They lost 28 of 34 road games since July 19 and finished 34-47 away from home, their fewest road wins in a full season since going 31-50 in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers tied the 2016 and 1966 teams for the 10th best home record in franchise history, finishing the season 53-28 at Dodger Stadium. The best record at home in the entire National League, and tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best in all of baseball.

With their win tonight, the 2023 club is tied with the 2016 and 1966 squads for the 10th best home record since moving to Los Angeles in 1958

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: 3B Wilmer Flores left the game with right knee discomfort in the bottom of the fourth.

Dodgers: RHP Daniel Hudson (right MCL) will throw live batting practice in either Colorado or San Francisco on the upcoming trip. He's not expected back for the NL Division Series, but could return if the Dodgers advance.

LEADING THE MAJORS

The Dodgers led the major leagues in attendance with 3,837,079 on the season, going over 3.8 million for the second straight year and the fifth time in team history.

They fell 24,329 short of last year’s total of 3,861,408. They had 19 sellouts and averaged 47,371 in 81 home games this year compared to 47,671 last year for the same number of dates.

Including this season, the Dodgers have led the majors in attendance for nine consecutive full seasons since 2013, not including the pandemic-affected 2020 and 2021 seasons.

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Blake Snell (14-9, 2.33 ERA) starts for San Diego and RHP Logan Webb (10-13, 3.35) goes for the Giants on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at San Francisco.

Dodgers: After a day off Monday, an opener will give way to RHP Ryan Pepiot (2-1, 1.91) in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday at Colorado. RHP Bobby Miller (10-4, 3.97) will start the second game.

Copyright The Associated Press
Contact Us