Dodgers rally to remain in first another day, downing Athletics, 10-7

Things were getting a little nervous there for the Dodgers, what with their falling behind 6-3 to the Oakland Athletics and in danger of losing their division lead for the first time since May 29.

But the Dodgers rallied for five runs in the seventh Wednesday and went on to down the Athletics, 10-7, before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 51,788. The victory maintained their half-game lead over the Giants in the National League West.

On a night when the Angels were falling out of first, it briefly appeared both Los Angeles area teams would after the Athletics scored four times in the top of the seventh to take their three-run lead.

Things had gotten off to a bad enough beginning for the Dodgers when Clayton Kershaw’s scheduled start was pushed back to Friday because of a sore hip. Mike Bolsinger, who had not started in over a week, replaced Kershaw.

Bolsinger pitched OK, but with the Dodgers trying to finalize a three-player deal that is expected to net them two starting pitchers, probably not well enough to keep him in the rotation.

Bolsinger gave up two runs in five innings on eight hits and three walks, but a pair of double plays helped limit the damage. He struck out three.

Yasiel Puig, on his bobble-head night, hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.

After the Athletics had pulled within one, they scored four times in the top of the seventh against the Dodgers’ bullpen to take the 6-3 lead.

But in the bottom of the inning the Dodgers’ slumbering offense finally got going. After a pair of walks, Adrian Gonzalez doubled in one run and Yasmani Grandal’s little roller down the third-base line scored a second.

Pinch-hitter Enrique Hernandez put the Dodgers ahead, driving a 3-2 pitch in the left-center gap to score two. Puig singled in one more, but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double.

Howie Kendrick drove in a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. The Dodgers finished the night with 12 hits. The Athletics finished with 13 hits.

Despite going into the top of the ninth with a four-run lead, the Dodgers callled on closer Kenley Jansen. He gave up a mammoth solo home run to Brett Lawrie -- one of his four hits -- to complete the scoring.

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