The Sports Xchange
Aug 16, 2017
LOS ANGELES -- Joc Pederson is in a hitting slump, but he won the Tuesday game for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the batter's box in a more unconventional way.
With the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a tie game against the Chicago White Sox, Pederson got hit by a pitch in the leg courtesy of reliever Jake Petricka to knock in the go-ahead run.
That led the Dodgers to a 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Los Angeles used a five-run eighth inning to turn a tight game into a rout. After Pederson got hit with the bases loaded, pinch hitter Austin Barnes delivered a two-run single, as did Corey Seager.
The Dodgers (84-34), who own the best record in baseball, moved to 50 games above .500 for the first time since 1953. This was their 37th comeback victory.
The White Sox's season is completely opposite, and the bullpen woes continued for Chicago (45-71).
Chicago's Tim Anderson, however, continued his hot hitting, belting a home run to left field on the first pitch of the game. It was the fourth career leadoff home run for Anderson, who has four home runs and eight RBIs in his past seven games.
Dodgers starter Alex Wood gave up the solo shot, then was masterful. In the sixth, with a runner on third and two outs, Wood got pinch hitter Alen Hanson out on a called third strike. The lefty threw a big fist-pump after keeping the game tied at 1.
Wood allowed one run on six hits and no walks in seven innings while striking out six. His lone mistake was Anderson's home run, the first of his 79 pitches. He did not get a decision, though, failing in a bid to improve to 15-1.
Brandon Morrow (5-0) got the win with one scoreless inning.
White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez pitched well and made a quality start, allowing just one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Juan Minaya (1-1), who allowed one hit and one run in one-plus inning, took the loss.
In the sixth inning, the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger used his speed to reach via an infield single. Yasmani Grandal singled and Yasiel Puig drew a walk to load the bases. A Logan Forsythe sacrifice fly scored Bellinger from third to tie the game at 1.
Puig was moved up to sixth in the batting order on Tuesday for his consistency in at-bats, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He went 0-for-2 with two walks.
Forsythe and Pederson, who have been struggling as of late, were dropped to seventh and eighth in the order, respectively. Still, Pederson found a way to help the Dodgers clinch yet another comeback win.
NOTES: The Dodgers traded RHP Chris Hatcher to Oakland for international bonus pool money. The reliever was not going to get much work in the stacked Los Angeles bullpen, according to manager Dave Roberts .... Dodgers OF Rob Segedin (toe strain, wrist surgery) was activated from the 60-day disabled list ... The White Sox reinstated RHP Dylan Covey (left oblique strain) from the disabled list. ... White Sox C Geovany Soto (right elbow surgery) is expected to miss the rest of the season .... 1B Adrian Gonzalez (back) will make the Dodgers' next road trip, which starts Friday in Detroit. Gonzalez last played in a game on June 11. ... White Sox INF Matt Davidson (right wrist bruise) had a rehab setback caused by irritation. There was no structural damage, but his return date is unknown.