Karros Has Homer at 11th Hour

Eric Karros’ solo home run in the 11th inning Friday night gave the Dodgers a 3-2 interleague victory against the Seattle Mariners.

Karros hit his 25th homer on a full count against Mariner reliever Arthur Rhodes (2-3) to end the 4-hour 27-minute game before a sellout crowd of 45,206 at Safeco Field.

The blast to right-center was the Dodgers’ first hit since Gary Sheffield’s infield single in the third. Matt Herges (6-0) struck out four in two scoreless innings for the victory, and Mike Fetters escaped a jam in the bottom of the 11th for his third save.

The Dodgers (44-40) won their third in a row despite having only four baserunners--and no hits--from the fourth through 10th.

Todd Hundley gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run double. Todd Hollandsworth and Sheffield had consecutive singles in the third, and that was it until Karros crushed Rhodes’ pitched.

The Dodgers had only five hits but improved to 4-3 on the trip. The Mariners (49-35), who had 12 hits and left 16 runners on base, have a two-game lead in the American League West.

With one out in the bottom of 11th, Mark McLemore singled to right and stole second with John Mabry batting. Fetters walked Mabry on four pitches and John Olerud’s groundout put runners on second and third, but Jay Buhner struck out swinging to end the game.

The Mariners and their fans received a scare in the fifth inning when franchise player Alex Rodriguez was involved in a violent collision and forced to leave the game.

Trying to break up a double play, Rodriguez hit his head against Dodger shortstop Alex Cora’s knee. Rodriguez was diagnosed with a concussion, and the all-star shortstop was taken to a hospital for precautionary tests.

Carlos Perez worked 6 1/3 innings, scattering nine hits and walking two with a strikeout.

Adrian Beltre’s 13th error helped Seattle tie the score, 2-2, in the eighth against Terry Adams.

The Mariners stranded the potential tying run at second in the seventh against Adams after he relieved Perez with one out. With two on and two out in the eighth, Raul Ibanez pinch-hit for Joe Oliver.

Beltre misplayed Ibanez’s grounder to load the bases and extend the inning. Carlos Guillen then walked on a full count to force in Mabry, who ran for Edgar Martinez.

Buhner could have won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but he struck out looking with two on against Herges.

Herges then struck out Robert Machado with a runner on third to end the 10th inning.

Hundley hit a two-out, two-run double into the right-field corner against Mariner starter Freddy Garcia in the first inning. The right-hander was activated from the disabled list before the game after suffering a broken bone in his right leg.

Garcia performed well in his first start since April 21. He gave up four hits and two runs, striking out six and walking five.

The crowd was silenced in the fifth.

The Mariners loaded the bases with one out against Perez, and Rodriguez walked to force in Guillen and cut the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1 with Martinez on deck.

After pitching cautiously to Rodriguez, Perez quickly worked an 0-2 count against Martinez, who leads the major leagues with 86 runs batted in. Cora fielded Martinez’s grounder to the right of second and raced Rodriguez to bag.

Cora’s left knee collided with Rodriguez’s head while Rodriguez came in without sliding and tried to prevent a double play. His head snapped back and to the left, and Cora landed on his stomach after throwing to first to end the inning.

Cora stood after two minutes and walked off under his own power. Rodriguez took longer to leave.

He appeared to be unconscious for a few moments.

Rodriguez then stood, shook his head and blinked several times. He appeared woozy, and two trainers slowly led him off the field.