Game 7 Recap: Alex Guerrero Hits Walk-Off Single In 10th
Alex Guerrero’s sacrifice fly scored Gonzalez to cut the Dodgers’ deficit to 4-1. Also on the play, Van Slyke alertly tagged and moved into scoring position as the Mariners mistakenly left second base uncovered. The miscue came back to haunt them as Joc Pederson’s base hit scored two runs as opposed to one.
After retiring the first two batters in the fifth, McCarthy’s up-and-down game continued as Ackley hit his second solo home run of the game to pad the Mariners’ lead to 5-3. The home run was the fourth allowed by McCarthy in the game and sixth of the season, the latter of which leads the Majors and the former setting a new career high.
The Dodgers turned the game into an all-out offensive showcase in the bottom of the fifth. Puig hit a two-out solo shot nearly halfway up the bleachers in left-center field to bring the Dodgers back to within one. Gonzalez added to his hot season with a double and he scored on Kendrick’s RBI single, who battled back from an 0-2 hole to tie the game at 5-5.
McCarthy retired the side in order in the sixth and struck out the last two batters he faced. He threw another scoreless inning in the seventh and collected his 10th strikeout of the game. The 10 strikeouts marked the fifth time in McCarthy’s career he’s had at least as many in a game.
Jimmy Rollins pinch-hit for McCarthy in the bottom of the seventh and Justin Turner did the same for Darin Barney, but neither was able to reach base. After retiring Turner, Mariners relief pitcher Carson Smith allowed a two-out single to Puig.
Smith then spent the next couple of minutes throwing over and looking at first base before being replaced by Charlie Furbush. The left-hander got Gonzalez to weekly chop one to first and the inning came to a close.
Pedro Baez took over for the Dodgers in the eighth and caught pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks looking for strike three. Baez then issued a walk, got Smith to fly out and gave way to Paco Rodriguez to face Cano. The lefty-on-lefty matchup broke in the Dodgers’ favor as the second baseman went down swinging.
With the Mariners turning to right-hander Dominic Leone in the bottom of the eighth, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly countered by pinch-hitting Carl Crawford for Van Slyke with one out. The left fielder grounded out and Guerrero did the same, sending the game to the ninth tied at 5-5.
Joel Peralta kept the Mariners off the bases in the ninth to set the stage for a Dodgers’ walk-off win. Rollins nearly delivered for the Dodgers with two outs, but his fly ball was tracked down at the warning track in left-center field and the game headed to extra innings.
Yimi Garcia opened the 10th inning with a strikeout and ended it in the same fashion for another impressive relief appearance. Andre Ethier, who entered as part of a double switch in the top of the 10th, hit a leadoff double in the bottom half of the inning.
Puig hit back to the box, which forced Ethier to hold at second base with one out. Leone intentionally walked Gonzalez and also wound up walking Kendrick to load the bases. With the Mariners infield drawn in, Crawford went down swinging for the second out.
Tyler Olson was left in the game to face Guerrero, who collected his first hit of the night with a walk-off single to right field for a Dodgers’ 6-5 win.
[divide]Yasmani Grandal Defends Dodgers Bullpen
