SPORTS
Final: Nationals 8,
Dodgers
5 (14 innings)
September 3rd, 2014, 1:27 pm ·
· posted by BILL PLUNKET
Published: Sept. 3, 2014 Updated: 5:50 p.m.
LOS ANGELES -The Dodgers blew a two-run lead in the ninth, wasted two bases-loaded situations in extra innings without scoring but were down to their last out twice before extending the game only to finally lose, 8-5, to the Washington Nationals in 14 innings Wednesday afternoon.
The game was the longest of the season for the Dodgers and at five hours, 34 minutes it was the eighth-longest in franchise history.
The Nationals took two of three from the Dodgers in the series. But the Dodgers' lead in the NL West remained two games. The second-place San Francisco Giants also lost Wednesday.
Rookie right-hander Carlos Frias made his first major-league start and threw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out four and getting nine ground-ball outs.
Frias was in trouble only once. The Nationals got two of their hits in the second inning and had runners at first and third with two outs. But their pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, was up and bounced into an inning-ending forceout.
Frias allowed just one more runner after that, retiring the final 10 batters he faced before the Dodgers' bullpen took over.
Zimmermann was every bit as good for the Nationals. He retired 14 of the first 15 Dodgers batters and struck out eight in the first five innings.
He took a two-hitter into the seventh inning when Carl Crawford turned a bloop down the right-field line into a one-out double. Turner came up against Zimmermann and headed to first base on a 1-and-2 inside fastball, claiming that the pitch had clipped his arm.
When home-plate umpire Paul Schreiber called Turner back, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly challenged the call. Replay review upheld the call and two pitches later Turner drilled a two-run home run over the center-field fence.
The two-run lead held up into the ninth inning. Mattingly had called on Jansen in the eighth, looking for his fifth four-out save of the season. Instead, he got his fifth blown save of the season (in 44 save situations).
Jansen allowed a leadoff single to Bryce Harper in the ninth, then a two-run, tying home run to pinch-hitter Adam LaRoche. Another single by Jose Lobaton and a stolen base by pinch-runner Danny Espinosa put the winning run in scoring position.
After a ground out moved Espinosa to third with two outs, Denard Span's bad-hop single through first baseman Adrian Gonzalez scored the go-ahead run.
But the Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the inning when Werth dropped what should have been the final out, a slicing line drive into the right-field corner by Turner. The error allowed Andre Ethier to score the tying run from first base.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the 10th but Gonzalez and Juan Uribe struck out. They did it again in the 11th but Drew Butera popped out and Dee Gordon struck out. The Dodgers are a major-league worst 17 for 99 (.172) with the bases loaded this season.
The Nationals had much better luck with it. They loaded the bases with one out in the top of the 12th and scored twice on LaRoche's slicing single to left off Dodgers reliever Brandon League.
Down to their last out again in the bottom of the 12th, Uribe singled and Carl Crawford tied the game, 5-5, with a two-run home run.
The Nationals finally settled matters with three runs in the 14th inning against Kevin Correia. The winning rally started with a throwing error by Turner at shortstop and included a walk and a wild pitch. The only hit was a two-run home run by Asdrubal Cabrera.
The loss was Correia's major-league high 16th this season.
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