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 Catcher A.J. Ellis was hit by a Davis pitch with the bases loaded
and two outs in the eighth inning, bringing home the go-ahead run as
the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Wednesday
night.
Royals second baseman Dee Gordon stroked four hits.
Ellis said left fielder Matt Kemp suggested he "get all over the
plate" since Davis throws plenty of cutters away.
"It did help," Ellis said.
Royals manager Ned Yost said, "Wade still has a way of maneuvering
around trouble and getting out of it, but a cutter got away from
him. I kept hoping he would make a pitch and strike Ellis out. He
was trying to throw a cutter, and it got away from him and hit him
right in the shoulder."
Ellis was struck on a 1-2 count to score center fielder Andre
Either.
"That's a tough way to go down right there, hit by a pitch with the
bases loaded," Davis said. "I just tried to make a perfect pitch. It
just ran away ... a little bit and came up and hit him."
Davis (5-2) gave up his first run since April 23. His scoreless
streak ended at 22 1/3 innings and 20 appearances.
"We're all human, man," Royals starter James Shields said. "It's
going to be tough not to give up runs all year long. He's so strong
mentally and is such a bulldog out there."
Right-hander Jamey Wright (3-2) pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and
escaped a sixth-inning jam to pick up the victory.
Gordon, who raised his average to .285, hit his ninth triple and
stole his 40th base; he leads the majors in both categories.
Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig collected two hits, including a
triple. He scored a run and drove in a run.
Shields, who is 5-0 with five no-decisions since a May 2 loss,
departed after 107 pitches and seven innings with the score 4-4.
Shields allowed seven hits and one walk. He struck out one.
Wilson worked the ninth to record his first save since April 12,
2012, his final appearance for the San Francisco Giants. He then
underwent Tommy John surgery, and he returned to action last year
with the Dodgers.
Royals third baseman Danny Valencia singled with one out in the
ninth, and Pedro Ciriaco pinch-ran for him. Ciriaco stole second but
was initially called out. After a review, the call on the field was
overturned, but right fielder Lorenzo Cain lined into a game-ending
double play with 6-foot-5 first baseman Scott Van Slyke making a
leaping catch.
"Luckily Donnie (Mattingly, the manager) was playing the right first
baseman tonight -- the tall one," Ellis said.
Ciriaco strayed too far off second base and was easily doubled off.
"The rule is you always freeze on a line drive, but in the situation
and amped up to score the winning run, he just got too far off,"
Yost said.
Cain led off the Royals' first inning with a home run that splashed
into the Kauffman Stadium fountains in left-center field. It was the
Royals' first leadoff homer this season. Dodgers right-hander Dan
Haren allowed a home run for the ninth consecutive game.
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Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp opened the second inning with his
eighth home run, a shot over the right field wall off Shields, who
has yielded 15 home runs this season.
Gordon and Puig hit back-to-back triples in the third as the Dodgers
grabbed a 3-1 lead. Gordon tripled off the right field wall and then
trotted home on a balk by Shields. Puig tripled to left and then
scored on designated hitter Adrian Gonzalez's sacrifice fly to
Gordon.
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas' two-out single to right in the
fourth scored left fielder Alex Gordon, cutting the Dodgers' lead to
3-2.
Gordon singled to start the Dodgers' fifth and scored on Puig's
double down the left field line.
Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson led off the fifth with his first
home run -- the result of a 10-pitch at-bat against Haren, who did
not make it through the inning.
After Cain singled and first baseman Eric Hosmer walked, Wright
replaced Haren and uncorked a wild pitch to move up the runners.
Cain scored on designated hitter Billy Butler's groundout to tie the
score at 4.
Haren gave up four runs, five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.
It was the first time he failed to make it into the sixth inning in
his 16 starts for the Dodgers.
"The story is more about the bullpen and the guys scratching out the
last run," Haren said.
NOTES: The Dodgers purchased the contract of 1B Clint Robinson, who
was hitting .309 with 14 home runs at Triple-A Albuquerque. OF Jamie
Romak, who batted .045 with one extra-base hit in 15 games, was
designated for assignment. ... Los Angeles SS Hanley Ramirez was out
of the lineup for the second consecutive game because of right
shoulder soreness. ... Royals C Salvador Perez was not in the
lineup, but did strike out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Brett
Hayes made his 10th start, catching Shields for the first time this
season. ... Dodgers 3B Juan Uribe, who is on the disabled list with
a pulled right hamstring, likely will be activated Thursday when the
club opens a homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit .316
in five rehab games with Class A Rancho Cucamonga. ... Hall of Famer
Cal Ripken Jr. threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
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reserved.]
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