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 Pinch runner Enrique Hernandez scored the winning run on a balk in
the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0
win over the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers, who broke a three-game losing streak, remain 2 1/2
games ahead of the second-place San Francisco Giants in the National
League West. The Rangers fell 3 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros
in the American League West.
Hernandez replaced catcher Yasmani Grandal, who walked against
right-hander Keone Kela (4-4) to start the bottom of the ninth. Left
fielder Andre Ethier followed with another walk before third baseman
Alberto Callaspo hit into a double play that sent Hernandez to third
base.
With shortstop Jimmy Rollins at the plate, Hernandez ran down the
line quickly, then stopped. Kela moved his glove as if he were going
to throw to the plate but then stopped, and plate umpire Marvin
Hudson called the balk.
Hernandez acted on instructions from third base coach Lorenzo Bundy.
"Lorenzo told me to fake him," Hernandez said. "I did, and he fell
for it."
Bundy, referring to Hernandez by the nickname, Kike, elaborated.
"I told Kike, 'Let's fake it. We'll see if we can get a reaction,'"
Bundy said. "Kike looks back at me and says, 'When do I go?' I said,
'As soon as he comes set.'
"If the pitcher does his job, he'll just step off. We got the
reaction I was looking for."
Kela, who earned his first major league save Wednesday night,
offered a succinct assessment.
"It's pretty simple," Kela said. "I beat myself."
Right-hander Kenley Jansen (2-0) struck out two of the three batters
he faced in the ninth to earn the win.
The game quickly became a scoreless pitching duel between two
right-handers, the Dodgers' Zack Greinke and the Rangers' Anthony
Ranaudo.
Greinke, who won the American League Cy Young Award in 2009, retired
the first nine batters he faced and tied his season best with eight
strikeouts. In his seven innings, Greinke issued no walks, conceded
four hits and hit one batter.
Ranaudo, recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day,
scattered five hits and two walks while striking out four in 6 2/3
innings. He made just his second appearance for the Rangers this
year.
In his only other start, Ranaudo lasted only 1 2/3 innings and
allowed six runs in a 10-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on April
15.
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"I felt pretty focused right from the beginning, and I was able to
settle in pretty early," Ranaudo said of his Thursday outing. "I was
able to command my fastball early. The command with the curve was
there all night, and the changeup kept these guys off balance. I was
just having fun."
A video review in the top of the seventh inning proved costly to the
Rangers and beneficial to the Dodgers.
With two outs and shortstop Elvis Andrus at first base, catcher
Robinson Chiniros singled to left field. As Ethier was jogging to
the ball, Andrus sped for third base and arrived with Ethier's
throw.
Third base umpire Chris Segal ruled Andrus safe, but Dodgers manager
Don Mattingly challenged the call, which replay overturned.
Texas had a chance to move ahead in the fourth inning after Greinke
retired the first nine Rangers he faced, four by strikeouts and four
by groundouts.
Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo lined a single to right field to begin
the inning. Choo took second base on second baseman Rougned Odor's
infield single and moved to third one out later when first baseman
Mitch Moreland hit into a fielder's choice. Andrus followed with a
long fly to right field that ended the threat.
NOTES: Thursday marked the first anniversary of Dodgers LHP Clayton
Kershaw's no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies. Kershaw stuck out
a career-best 15 in an 8-0 win. ... Texas 1B Prince Fielder leads
the American League with a .344 average. Rangers 1B Mitch Moreland
started for Fielder against Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke. Fielder's
closest competition, Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera, did not play because
the Tigers' game against the Cincinnati Reds was rained out. ... The
Rangers recalled RHP Anthony Ranaudo from Triple-A Round Rock and
placed 1B Kyle Blanks on the 15-day disabled list. Ranaudo started
in place of RHP Colby Lewis, who will pitch Friday night in Chicago
against the White Sox. ... Los Angeles recalled LHP Daniel Coulombe
from Triple-A Oklahoma City and sent OF Chris Heisey to the same
club. The Dodgers also assigned INF Darwin Barney to Oklahoma City
after he cleared waivers.
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