Matt Kemp’s walk-off homer gives Dodgers 5-3 win over Phillies
Matt Kemp slugged a two-run home run in the 12th inning to give the Dodgers a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
Kemp’s blast off Phillies reliever Jake Diekman came less than a week after the center fielder returned from the disabled list with a strained left hamstring that forced him to miss 51 games.
It was Kemp’s 13th home run of the season.
The win snapped the Dodgers’ four-game losing streak, and they’re now 2 1/2 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants, who play Wednesday night, in the National League West.
The game was tied 1-1 entering the 10th inning when the Dodgers’ bullpen again faltered as reliever Javy Guerra gave up a two-run single to the Phillies’ Hunter Pence.
Pence also had hit a two-run single the prior night against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen that gave Philadelphia a 3-2 victory.
But the Dodgers tied Wednesday’s game 3-3 with two runs in their half of the 10th inning against Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon as Luis Cruz doubled, Bobby Abreu singled, Tony Gwynn Jr. hit a slow-rolling infield single and Kemp legged out another infield single.
The game was decided after an eight-inning pitchers’ duel with the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and the Phillies’ Cliff Lee -- both left-handed Cy Young Awardwinners -- living up to their reputations.
Kershaw allowed one run while striking out seven Phillies, walking none and throwing a season-high 120 pitches.
Lee would have had a perfect game through five innings except for Juan Rivera’s solo home run in the second inning. It was Rivera’s fourth career homer against Lee, who gave up only one other hit.
Philadelphia’s first run came in the fourth inning when Shane Victorino singled, stole second base and scored on Carlos Ruiz’s single to center field. Kemp fielded Ruiz’s hit and fired a one-hop throw to home plate but Victorino just evaded catcher A.J. Ellis’ tag.
After a travel day Thursday, the Dodgers open a 10-game trip Friday in New York against the Mets. The trip also takes them to St. Louis and San Francisco.
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