Yasiel Puig Collects 3 RBIs On Bobblehead Night, Dodgers Come From Behind
Ethier led off the bottom of the fourth with a grounder that hit first base and carried into right field for a double. Puig then became the latest Dodger to provide fireworks on his bobblehead night by hitting the first pitch he saw for a line-drive two-run home run that just cleared the left field fence.
The first two batters reached in the fifth inning, including Reddick who improved to 3-for-3 on the night and 6-for-7 in the series with a base hit. Bolsinger then got double play ball, but Lawrie’s RBI double cut the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2.
Juan Nicasio took over for the Dodgers in the sixth and struck out a pair of a batters as part of a 1-2-3 scoreless inning. Fernando Abad entered in the bottom of the sixth and set the Dodgers down in order. Nicasio issued a leadoff walk in the seventh and gave way to J.P. Howell as part of a double switch.
Scott Van Slyke also came into the game, replacing Ethier in left field. A base hit followed by an error on Kendrick promptly allowed the A’s to load the bases with no outs. Howell recorded a strikeout before allowing a two-run single to Lawrie that pushed the A’s ahead, 4-3.
After a double steal, Eric Sogard hit a chopper up the middle that got by a drawn-in infield to plate two more runs for the A’s. With the Dodgers trailing 6-3, Pedro Baez was called on to get the final two outs of the inning.
Fernando Rodriguez walked Van Slyke with one out in the bottom of the seventh and went to a full count against Kendrick before putting him on base with two outs. Lefty Drew Pomeranz replaced Rodriguez and promptly gave up an RBI double to Gonzalez that hit off the center field fence.
After rocketing a foul ball down each base line on consecutive swings, Grandal reached on the equivalent of a swinging bunt that traveled 50 feet up the third base line and scored Kendrick, cutting the Dodgers’ deficit to 6-5. Kiké Hernandez pinch-hit for Baez and delivered a two-run double to give the Dodgers a 7-6 lead.
Puig added an RBI single but was thrown out attempting to take an extra base, ending the inning with the Dodgers ahead 8-6. An Alberto Callaspo single and Rollins double paved the way for insurance runs in the eighth, courtesy of Kendrick’s two-run single.
Kenley Jansen came on in the ninth and gave up a solo home run before shutting the door on the A’s, giving the Dodgers a series split with a 10-7 win.
[divide]Don Mattingly Dismisses Yasiel Puig Trade Rumors
