Orioles Maintain Lead Over American League East
LOS ANGELES -- Surviving an endurance test at the end of a frustrating road trip ensures that the Baltimore Orioles will do no worse than maintain their lead over their closest rivals in the American League East.
Jonathan Schoop hit a two-run double in the 14th inning to give the Orioles a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.
Mark Trumbo added two solo home runs to move back into the major-league lead with 26, one more than the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant. Trumbo also doubled and scored three runs to help the Orioles remain 2 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays despite a 4-5 performance road trip through San Diego, Seattle and Los Angeles.
"It's not going to be our best road trip but we salvaged a little bit," said Trumbo, who called Wednesday's game "grueling."
"There's seldom a lot of fun to be had when you get past nine innings, especially when it gets to 13, 14, 15 or more," Trumbo said. "Everybody's pretty spent, usually. It's very taxing."
Playing a game that lasted 3 hours, 17 minutes on Tuesday night in preparation for Wednesday's 12:10 p.m. start intensified the fatigue.
"Everybody got about three or four hours sleep last night," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "It's kind of the last-person-standing mentality. A lot of people can't realize what these guys have to do. You've got to turn the page and keep grinding."
Mychal Givens (6-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the win and Zach Britton defused a bases-loaded situation for his 25th save. The Orioles' relievers threw nine shutout innings as both pitching staffs combined for 36 strikeouts, breaking a 20-year-old stadium record.
Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley established a career high with six hits, Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner drove in two runs apiece and Corey Seager extended his hitting streak to 19 games, the National League's longest. But the Dodgers' sustained their second consecutive loss after winning 15 of 20.
"We had a few big hits and we could've used a few more," Utley said. "I like our chances with guys on base."
Baltimore broke a 4-4 tie in the 14th against right-hander Chris Hatcher (5-4). Manny Machado and Chris Davis singled with one out. After Hatcher struck out Trumbo, Schoop hit a pop fly to short center field.
Center fielder Trayce Thompson tried to make a diving catch, but the ball bounced in front of him and deflected off his glove. That deflection forced left fielder Howie Kendrick into an awkward position while retrieving the ball, allowing Machado and Davis to score.
The Dodgers put the potential winning run on base in the bottom of the 14th against Britton. Gonzalez doubled to left-center field with one out, Thompson walked and Kendrick hit into a fielder's choice that sent Gonzalez to third base.
With the Dodgers out of non-pitching reserves, Showalter ordered Britton to walk Yasmani Grandal intentionally to load the bases and force Hatcher to the plate. Hatcher grounded out to end the game.
Manager Dave Roberts used his last reserve in the 10th inning, forcing left-hander Scott Kazmir to serve as a pinch hitter in the 13th.
"That's the great thing and the tough thing about baseball. You never know what you're going to get," said Roberts, who was ejected by plate umpire Pat Hoberg in the 14th for arguing balls and strikes.
The Dodgers took a 4-3 lead on Gonzalez's two-run single in the fifth. Utley began the rally with a one-out double off the warning track in right field, then Seager walked.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman struck out Turner before Gonzalez blooped a pop fly into short center field. Center fielder Adam Jones tried to make a sliding backhanded catch, but the ball landed in front of him. Utley and Seager scored and Gonzalez took second base on the throw to home plate. Gonzalez moved to third on a wild pitch but stayed there when Gausman struck out Thompson.
Trumbo tied the score in the top of the sixth with his second home run, a solo drive into the Dodgers' bullpen down the left field line off an 89 mph slider from reliever Casey Fien.
That homer prevented Gausman from taking his seventh loss in eight decisions. Gausman allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings, yet issued only one walk and collected six strikeouts with a fastball that reached 98 mph.
Dodgers starter Bud Norris gave up three runs on six hits in five innings.
