LOS ANGELES — Pinch hitter Yasmani Grandal walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to force pinch runner Scott Van Slyke home and give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in front of 45,931 at Dodger Stadium.
Right-hander Kenley Jansen (3-2) pitched one inning of perfect relief for the victory, as the Dodgers won their third consecutive game and their fifth in the past six.
The Dodgers broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth against right-hander Tyler Thornburg (3-2). Adrian Gonzalez lined a single to center field with one out, then moved to second base on Trayce Thompson’s single to right.
After Van Slyke replaced Gonzalez, Thornburg struck out Joc Pederson. But Howie Kendrick walked to load the bases and bring Grandal to the plate for A.J. Ellis.
On a 3-2 count, Grandal took Thornburg’s 92 mph fastball that badly missed the outside corner to drive in the winning run.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against right-hander Kenta Maeda. Scooter Gennett sent Maeda’s 91 mph fastball on a 2-2 pitch just over the center-field fence for his sixth home run of the season.
But the Dodgers tied the score in the bottom of the eighth on Enrique Hernandez’s pinch-hit home run off left-hander Will Smith. Hernandez lined a 91 mph fastball into the Dodgers’ bullpen down the left-field line for his fifth homer of the season — and his first ever as a pinch hitter.
Hernandez’s home run ruined the opportunity to right-hander Matt Garza to earned his first win of the season in his second start. Garza pitched six shutout innings, scattered five hits and hit one batter while throwing just 70 pitches.
Maeda, meanwhile, tied his career high with 107 pitches. The veteran of eight seasons in Japan amassed eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings while conceding one run, three walks and six hits.
The Dodgers had numerous chances to move ahead after Gennett’s home run. In the bottom of the first, Chase Utley lined a single up the middle to begin the inning, then moved to third base when Corey Seager doubled off the base of the fence in left-center field.
But after Justin Turner struck out, an unusual double play enabled the Brewers to escape. Utley tried to score once left fielder Ryan Braun made a basket catch on Gonzalez’s pop fly to short left field. Yet Braun easily threw Utley out at home plate.
Milwaukee used another pivotal defensive play to defuse another potential rally in the third. With Maeda at first base with two out, Seager lined a single to right field. Maeda headed for third but right fielder Ramon Flores threw him out, with third baseman Aaron Hill making the tag.
Again Los Angeles put runners in scoring position with one out in the fifth and, again, the Dodgers were foiled. Kendrick hit a one-out single and A.J. Ellis was hit by a pitch, and both advanced on Maeda’s sacrifice. But Utley ended the inning by grounding out to first baseman Chris Carter.
NOTES: Milwaukee reinstated RHP Michael Blazek from the 15-day disabled list and sent RHP Corey Knebel to Triple-A Colorado Springs. … Brewers C Jonathan Lucroy, who has an eight-game hitting streak, received the day off. … Los Angeles sent RHP Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled RHP Carlos Frias from the same club. Bolsinger allowed five runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings during his sixth start of the season Saturday night.