Prince Fielder Belly-Flops Rounding Third Base [VIDEO]
STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos had to quickly forget about the pitch he called in the top of the ninth inning.
All that really mattered for the Rangers was the one Chirinos hit over the wall.
Chirinos homered leading off the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 victory over the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, who got Josh Turner's tying two-run homer to deny rookie Chi Chi Gonzalez a shutout and a complete game.
"I'm just happy to come through in that situation," Chirinos said. "I've been calling eight shutout innings and one pitch tied the game so I was mad at myself. I said 'Just forget it. Go out there and try to get on base and try to win this game.' That's what I did."
Chirinos' sixth homer of the season, an estimated 401 feet to left-center, came off Josh Ravin (2-1), who had just taken over after Brett Anderson's eight solid innings.
"It was a 1-1 count, and if you go back and look, it was probably right over the plate," Ravin said. "These are big-league hitters, and it doesn't matter how hard you throw, they're going to hit it."
Shawn Tolleson (2-1), who had been proclaimed the Texas closer earlier in the day by manager Jeff Banister, gave up a pair of two-out singles after taking over before Jimmy Rollins' inning-ending flyout.
Texas won both home games against the Dodgers, though the teams play again Wednesday and Thursday in Los Angeles.
"Very mature outing, was on the attack all night long. 105 pitches, one bad pitch," Banister said. "Some really good hitters taking some not-so-good swings."
Gonzalez, the 23-year-old right-hander, gave up a one-out walk in the ninth to Howie Kendrick before a visit to the mound by pitching coach Mike Maddux. But Turner homered on the next pitch, an inside fastball.
"I was questioning myself that maybe I should have went away, I should have went changeup," Chirinos said.
"We were pounding everybody in the whole game, just waiting for who was going to make the adjustment. He happened to make it," Gonzalez said. "And sure enough I give up the home run but (Chirinos) gets it back for me."
Gonzalez has allowed only three runs over 30 innings, giving him a 0.90 ERA so far in his big-league career. He struck out two and walked two while allowing five hits.
Anderson scattered eight hits and allowed two runs over eight innings. The lefty struck out four and walked three while throwing 114 pitches.
Prince Fielder scored a run, on a play after stumbling around third base and face-planting into the ground, and later drove in a run one with an infield single for the Rangers.
RANGERS TIDBITS
Texas has won nine of its last 11 home games, and is 27-14 overall since May 4 — the best record and most wins in the majors during that span. The Ranger (35-30) are five games over .500 for the first time this season. ... Mitch Moreland has an 11-game hitting streak, matching his career high set last month. ...
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: OF Scott Van Slyke is ready to come off the DL after missing 18 games because of back inflammation. . "He's done his rehab now," manager Don Mattingly said. "As long as he doesn't trip and break an ankle between now and (Wednesday), I think he'll be activated." ... LHP Paco Rodriguez and RHP Pedro Baez and Brandon League each pitched a scoreless inning for Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Monday night. League, the only of that trio who has been out all season, was set to pitch again Tuesday night.
Rangers: LF Josh Hamilton (strained left hamstring) said he won't be traveling for upcoming games in Los Angeles and Chicago. ... OF Delino DeShields (strained left hamstring) believes he might have been "a little dehydrated" when he got hurt lunging for a ball Sunday.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Three-time NL Cy Young winner and Dallas native Clayton Kershaw (5-3) pitches against his hometown team after watching the two games in Texas the ballpark where he grew up regularly going to games.
Rangers: For the first time since 2001, the Rangers play a game at Dodger Stadium, ending their longest gap between visits to a current stadium. They last went to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in 2007.
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