LDN - Sports

Dodgers turn Turner's two HRs into 3-2 win

[June 18, 2016] LOS ANGELES -- It was just what Justin Turner expected.

Despite hitting two home runs earlier in the game, Turner believed Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell would intentionally walk two Los Angeles Dodgers batters just to pitch to him.

"Just the situation of the game you set up a force-out everywhere and (Jeremy) Jeffress is a ground-ball pitcher with a heavy sinker," Turner said. "I wasn't surprised at all."

Turner accounted for all of the Dodgers' runs, including a walk-off single in the 10th inning that lifted Los Angeles to a 3-2 victory over the Brewers on Friday night before 44,998 at Dodger Stadium.

Will Venable smacked a ground-rule double to right to lead off the 10th against Jeffress (1-2), the Brewers right-handed closer. After pinch-hitter A.J. Ellis sacrificed Venable to third, left-handed hitters Chase Utley and Corey Seager were walked intentionally to load the bases. Turner drilled the winner over the head of third baseman Aaron Hill.

"There's two things: There's (Jeffress) on a right-hander, we've got a chance to get out of the inning on one pitch," Counsell said. "So, you take your chances. He got him to two strikes, and we just didn't quite execute the pitch."

Turner turned on an 86 mph breaking ball and deposited it into the seats in left for a 1-0 Dodgers lead with one out in the first inning.

In the eighth, he launched a 3-2 breaking ball from reliever Tyler Thornburg, who turned around Turner with a fastball inside on the pitch before, into the back of the Dodgers' bullpen for another solo blast and a 2-2 tie in the eighth. Turner has eight home runs this season, five of those coming in the last five games.

It was the third multi-homer game for Turner, the last one occurring Sept. 23, 2014, against the San Francisco Giants.

"Well, I faced him last night and he threw me a first pitch breaking ball," Turner said of Jeffress. "I got the hit on a sinker. I hit a couple homers earlier, both on breaking balls, so I assumed he was going to try and attack me with a fastball and then try to get a ground ball. He just left the breaking ball up just enough barely for me to get it over Aaron's head."

Pedro Baez (1-2) had a strikeout and walked one in one inning.

Milwaukee starter Zach Davies pitched well but came away with a no-decision. Davies, who had never faced Los Angeles, allowed a run and five hits with six strikeouts and a walk in seven innings.

"It was an outstanding performance by Zach," Counsell said. "He continues to impress, he continues to keep hitters off-balance. They almost got less comfortable as the game went on. He was really good."

Not to be outdone, Dodgers rookie left-hander Julio Urias turned in a solid performance, blanking the Brewers for five innings with eight strikeouts and one walk on five hits. The 19-year-old Urias, in his fifth start since the Dodgers promoted him from Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 27, left the game with a one-run lead, but the Dodgers' bullpen gave it up.

"Yes, the main thing is that the team won, and that's really what matters to me," said Urias, who has posted a 1.88 ERA with 22 strikeouts and three walks in his last three starts (14 1/3 innings).

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Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) celebrates manager Dave Roberts (30) after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee rallied for two runs in the sixth. Ryan Braun opened with a double off reliever Louis Coleman and scored on Jonathan Lucroy's run-scoring two-bagger to tie the score at 1 with no outs.

After Adam Liberatore relieved Coleman in the inning, Scooter Gennett, who was 3-for-4 with a walk, doubled home Lucroy for a 2-1 advantage.

The Brewers (31-37) have dropped three of their last four.

"To me, the story of the game is that we left chances out there," said Counsell, referring to the Brewers stranding 12 runners to eight for the Dodgers.

NOTES: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts downplayed Thursday night's heated exchange in the dugout between C Yasmani Grandal and INF Justin Turner during their 8-6 loss to the Brewers. Turner was miffed that Grandal almost cost the Dodgers a run by getting thrown out at second base just before CF Joc Pederson touched home plate on Turner's score-tying sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. "I think having discussions or openly showing emotions with one another I think for the right reasons is fine," Roberts said. "It's not something I advocate, but it can be helpful." ... Brewers RHP Michael Blazek (right elbow impingement) could be activated from the 15-day disabled list before the club completes its weekend series in Los Angeles. ... Brewers RHP Chase Anderson (4-6, 4.42 ERA) will face Dodgers RHP Mike Bolsinger (1-4, 5.76) on Saturday.

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