Red's comeback goes for naught
Walk-off double negates Mesoraco’s tying 3-run homer.
Corey SeaLOS ANGELES — ger has been playing base- ball of some sort since 1997, and Saturday night marked a surprising first for him.
When Seager’s ball eluded a diving left fielder Scooter Gennett in the bottom of the ninth inning for a run-scoring double, it gave Los Angeles a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds — and a new accomplishment for Seager. A walk-off hit. “No high school, no summer ball, no minor leagues, no nothing,” Seager said.
It was Seager’s second double and it made a loser of reliever Drew Storen (1-2), who allowed one-out sin- gles to Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner to set the stage for Seager.
Kenley Jansen (4-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.
The Dodgers built a 4-1 lead but it came undone when manager Dave Rob- erts replaced starter Alex Wood with two on base and two outs in the sixth.
Devin Mesoraco greeted reliever Josh Fields with the three-run homer to tie it. It was his fifth home run of the season.
It stayed tied until the ninth, an inning Mesoraco called bad luck.
“It’s two ground balls,” Mesoraco said of the sin- gles. “If they’re two feet to the other way, they’re outs. So that’s a hard thing to really get too frustrated over. They’re going to find holes. Those were just hit in perfect spots.”
The Dodgers took a 3-0 lead in the first against starter Asher Wojciechowski.
A single by Chase Utley and double by Seager scored one. After Seager scored on a sacrifice fly by Adrian Gonzalez, rookie Cody Bellinger hit his team-high 13th home run.
“After that first inning, I just tried to settle down, go as deep as I could, and give this team a shot,” said Wojciechowski, who pitched five innings and allowed four runs on six hits.
Cincinnati got one back in the third against Wood. Gennett doubled and scored on Jose Peraza’s single.
That snapped a 27-inning scoreless streak by Wood.
“I felt good,” Wood said. “I felt my stuff was pretty good.”
The Dodgers went up 4-1 in the fifth after Puig doubled and was sacrificed to third by Wood. Utley doubled to score Puig.
Wood, who had been on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, went 5⅔ innings in his first start since May 26 and was charged with three runs and five hits. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
And then watched a little personal history as Seager delivered his first game-ending hit.
“I’m betting it won’t be his last,” Roberts said.
Trainer’s room: Reds outfielder Adam Duvall missed his second consecutive start with an illness. He did pinch hit and then was back in the lineup Sunday. ...
Right-hander Homer Bailey (elbow surgery) threw five scoreless innings in his first rehab start at Double-A Pensacola on Friday, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out five. Manager Bryan Price said he would likely need at least two more rehab starts. Cozart streak: When Wood hit Zack Cozart with a pitch in the sixth, it extended his on-base streak to 32 consecutive games. It’s the longest in the majors this season.