Seager ends Moore’s no-hit bid in ninth

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers were down to their final out with Matt Moore on the verge of throwing the Giants’ first no-hitter against them in more than 100 years.

Corey Seager spoiled the attempt with a bloop single to right with two outs in the ninth in Los Angeles’ 4-0 loss to San Francisco.

Seager’s hit sent the sellout crowd of 53,297 into a raucous celebration. That clutch hit came on his bobblehead night. And Moore’s try ended on his 133rd pitch.

Asked about his emotions of the hit, Seager said: “Not much. It’s one of those things where you don’t ever want that to happen. Like I said, we won the series, and you’re still happy about that.”

Moore just smiled after Seager’s hit.

“Giving up a base hit right there is a part of the game,” Moore said. “It was a fun ride all the way up until that point ... there’s not a lot to be angry about. I think the smile just kind of came out.”

It was a difficult and emotional day for the Dodgers as beloved teammate and backup catcher A.J. Ellis was traded to the Phillies earlier in the day. Ellis said he and Kershaw cried. “To have been the longest tenured Dodgers was something I’m extremely proud of, to have that gone now in the blink of an eye, without much time to feel finality to it, it rips your heart out,” Ellis said.

Moore retired 14 consecutive Dodger batters in one stretch. He struck out seven, walked three and gave up one hit in 82/3 innings. Seager and Yasmani Grandal both drew walks — Grandal with two — but the usually explosive Dodger offence was silent.

“I think it was just something where he’s developing his cut fastball that he was using to lefties and righties which he just started throwing this year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Moore. “Actually, in the last couple of months. Changeup was good, and fastball command better than we’ve seen it.”

Had the Giants lost, they would’ve been swept by the Dodgers and fallen another game back. Instead, the Giants moved within two games of the Dodgers in the NL West. “He saved us from getting swept. It was the biggest game all year,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy.