Recap: Matt den Dekker Tops Adrian Gonzalez With Go-Ahead Home Run
After getting one out on one pitch in the bottom of the seventh, Joel Peralta appeared to have another out on just his second pitch of the inning as Yunel Escobar popped up. Instead, Kendrick lost the ball in the sun and Escobar ended up on second base with one out.
Danny Espinosa got ahead in the count 3-0, only to end up going to a full count and flying out to left. Peralta intentionally walked Bryce Harper before handing the ball over to J.P. Howell. The Dodger left-hander faced former teammate Clint Robinson, who drew a walk to load the bases.
Pedro Baez replaced Howell and got the Dodgers out of the jam by striking out Wilson Ramos. By not allowing a run across, Baez to that point in the season allowed only three of 22 inherited baserunners to score, plus held batters to 0-for-4 and had four strikeouts with the bases loaded.
Casey Janssen struck out Turner looking to open the eighth in what finished as scoreless inning of relief. Tyler Moore hit a one-out line drive that grazed off the top of Baez’s hat and carried into center field for a base hit. Matt den Dekker pushed the Nationals to a 5-3 lead with a pinch-hit two-run home run.
Drew Storen issued a leadoff walk to Puig and had his first pitch to Ethier lined up the middle for a base hit. Storen then settled in to retire Jimmy Rollins and pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo on a pair of fly balls. With the Dodgers down to their final out Pederson struck out on a check swing after nearly hitting a line-drive go-ahead home run.
[divide]Joc Pederson On Home Run Derby
