A Turner classic: 3B hits walk-off home run in 9th
LOS ANGELES — Justin Turner hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Dodgers beat the Cubs 4-1 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Turner drove in every run for the Dodgers, going the other way for a tying single in the fifth before sending a long shot to center field off John Lackey in the ninth.
Turner’s second homer of the postseason ended another dramatic night for the Dodgers, who remain unbeaten in these playoffs and moved within two wins of their first World Series appearance since 1988.
And the red-bearded slugger did it on the 29th anniversary of Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit, walk-off homer to beat the A’s in the opening game of the Dodgers’ last World Series victory.
“It’s very cool, and J.T., we were talking about it in there after the game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Twenty-nine years to the day. It was special. Our guys feel it.”
Game 3 in the best-ofseven series is Tuesday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Midseason acquisition Yu Darvish starts for the Dodgers against Kyle Hendricks.
Lackey got the call over All-Star closer Wade Davis, and the veteran starter walked Chris Taylor on six tense pitches before Turner stepped up and ended it with his long drive, the Dodgers’ first walk-off homer in the postseason since Gibson’s famous shot.
“We’ve been doing it all year long,” said Turner, who has hit .377 with four home runs and 22 RBIs during his postseason career.
“We’re never out of a game. As long as we have outs left, we’re going to keep fighting.”
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen got the victory with a hitless ninth despite hitting Anthony Rizzo on the hand with a one-out pitch.
Addison Russell homered in the fifth for the Cubs.