Bellinger Sends Dodgers Past Mets 2-1 In 10 Innings
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking double in the 10th inning to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Mets 2-1 on Saturday night after Will Smith homered in the seventh for the first hit off New York starter Taijuan Walker.
The 10-inning win was the second in two nights for the Dodgers, who were 1-12 in extra-inning games entering the series opener Friday.
Yennsy Diaz (0-2) struck out Chris Taylor before Bellinger, who hooked a potential go-ahead double just foul down the first-base line in the seventh, laced one a few feet inside the line this time to score automatic runner Corey Seager.
Phil Bickford (2-1) got the final two outs of the ninth and struck out the first two batters in the 10th before Corey Knebel retired Brandon Nimmo to earn his third save.
Bellinger's clutch hit decided a game that began with a taut pitching duel between Walker and Dodgers starter Walker Buehler. Neither allowed a hit until Michael Conforto homered for the Mets just beyond the grasp of right fielder Billy McKinney with two outs in the fourth.
Walker, who threw a one-hitter for the Seattle Mariners against the Minnesota Twins on July 31, 2015, allowed just two balls out of the infield in the first 6 1/3 innings before Smith homered into the first row of the second deck in left field.
Smith's two-run homer in the 10th inning Friday snapped a tie in the Dodgers' 6-5 win.
Seager followed with a double and Walker's evening ended when he issued a two-out walk to Taylor. Bellinger worked the count to 3-1 against Aaron Loup — after which Mets manager
Luis Rojas was thrown out for arguing with plate umpire Ben May — before striking out.
Walker walked three and struck out eight in lowering his second-half ERA from 9.86 to 7.81.
Buehler, who was looking to tie for the major league lead in wins, allowed four hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in seven innings. The right-hander, who has 12 wins, lowered his major league-best ERA from 2.13 to 2.09.
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