Kendrick’s RBI knock in 9th lifts Dodgers past M’s

Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Howie Kendrick’s two-run single capped a
ninth-inning rally and gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Seattle
Mariners on Tuesday night.

Justin Turner singled to lead off the ninth against Fernando Rodney (1-1),
then Jimmy Rollins served an 0-2 fastball into center that put runners at the
corners.

Seattle looked to be in better shaped following Carl Crawford’s fielder’s
choice that nabbed Turner at home. Adrian Gonzalez then walked and Kendrick
sent a looping single into right for the game-winner.

Alex Guerrero and Andre Ethier homered, and Gonzalez added an RBI for the
Dodgers, who have won three straight — including the last two in their final
at-bat.

Yimi Garcia (2-0) picked up his second win in as many days for Los Angeles.

Nelson Cruz homered for the third time in this three-game set, and Robinson
Cano cracked his first homer of the season.

Seattle has dropped two straight following two consecutive wins to close out
its series in Oakland over the weekend.

Seattle used the long ball in the series opener early to grab the lead before
losing in extra innings. The Mariners did the same on Tuesday, as Cano poked
a two-run shot to right center, and Cruz followed with a solo blast for a 3-0
lead.

Los Angeles got on the board in the third on Gonzalez’s double, but Seattle
countered in the top of the fourth with an RBI knock from Rickie Weeks.

Guerrero, who won the game with a single in the 10th inning on Monday, pinch-
hit for starter David Huff in the fourth and blasted a two-run homer to left
that cut the Dodgers deficit to 4-3.

Juan Nicasio entered in relief and walked three of the first four hitters he
faced to load the bases. Willie Bloomquist grounded out to score Cruz for a
5-3 lead. Ethier led off the sixth with his first home run of the season to
trim the deficit to one.

Charlie Furbush entered for Seattle to begin the seventh, but he was removed
after serving up back-to-back singles to Carl Crawford and Gonzalez. Yoervis
Medina came on and struck out Howie Kendrick before getting Yasmani Grandal to
ground into a 4-6-3 double play.

Game Notes

Guerrero’s pinch-hit homer was Los Angeles’ first since Scott Van Slyke
against the Pirates July 22, 2014 … Los Angeles outfielder Yasiel Puig was
held out of the lineup due to tightness in his left hamstring … Mike Zunino
has struck out seven times over the first two games of this series for Seattle
… Huff allowed four runs on seven hits over four innings of work in his
Dodgers debut … Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma was tagged for four runs on
six hits and three walks in five-plus innings.