Ohtani and Dodgers overpower, outlast, Giants in extra innings

BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER

The Dodgers exploded for seven runs in the 11th inning to break up a tense marathon game with the Giants on the way to a 14-7 win over San Francisco at Oracle Park Saturday evening.

©BRENDON BARANOV
Shohei Ohtani watches the flight of his NL leading 26th home run of the year in third inning of the Dodgers 14-7 win over San Francisco Saturday evening.

The game got off to a promising start for San Francisco as the Giants chased Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow after just three innings, his shortest outing of the season, jumping on him for five runs on seven hits and batting around during the third inning on the way to four runs.

The Giants got on the board first when a sacrifice fly by Heliot Ramos scored Jorge Soler, who led off the game with a double, his first of two in the game. Los Angeles quickly responded by tying the game in their next at bat before Shohei Ohtani gave the Dodgers a 2-1 lead with a monstrous 434 foot home run to deep centerfield.

San Francisco would respond quickly with a four run third highlighted by a RBI double by Soler and a two RBI single by Matt Chapman. The 37 pitch frame would be Glasnow’s downfall and he exited after only three innings having allowed five runs on seven hits with a pair of walks and only one strikeout.

©BRENDON BARANOV
Matt Chapman had three hits and a walk during the Giants 14-7 loss to the Dodgers Saturday evening.

The Dodgers quickly struck back with four runs of their own in the top of the fourth to take a 6-5 lead on RBI singles by Miguel Rojas, Gavin Lux and Will Smith along with a bases loaded walk by Freddie Freeman. After the Giants tied the game in the fifth, pitching took over with the game going into extra innings. In all, a total of 17 pitchers took the mound as the game dragged on.

The teams exchanged runs in the tenth before Los Angeles put the game out of reach in the 11th, batting around on the way to seven runs, the Dodgers second largest extra inning output since 1901. The outburst started with Smith doubling in ghost runner Kike Hernandez and Ohtani, who the Giants walked intentionally. Freeman followed with a double plating Smith, and a Chris Taylor single scored Freeman for a four run lead and the rout was on. A Jason Heyward triple scored two more, and a Miguel Rojas sacrifice fly brought in Heyward for the games final margin before Ryan Yarbrough retired San Francisco in order to tie the weekend series at a game apiece. The Giants seventh and final pitcher, Sean Hjelle (3-2, 3.54) was the recipient of the damage, taking one for the team on the way to allowing eight runs on six hits in his two innings pitched.

The two teams will play the rubber match of the three game series tomorrow at 1PM. James Paxton (7-1, 3.39) is scheduled to pitch for the Los Angeles. The Giants have yet to name a starter.

About Daniel Gluskoter

Daniel Gluskoter is the Martinez Tribune's national music and sports editor and a Bay Area photojournalist who's work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2008 Presidential campaign as a correspondent for United Press International and has travelled worldwide covering events ranging from numerous Super Bowls and Olympics to Live Aid and the Grammys.

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