Despite 20 Strikeouts, Dodgers Walk-Off With 11th Inning Puig Homerun

Dodgers 1 5 0

Reds 0 3 0

WP- League (3-6)

LP- Partch (0-1)

HR- Puig (10)

F/11

The Dodgers and Reds were locked into a scoreless pitching duel through almost 11 full innings until Yasiel Puig took a Curtis Partch fastball for a ride into the left field pavilion to give the Dodgers a 1-0 win and series win against the Reds. The D-backs had already lost earlier in the afternoon, so the Dodgers gain ground and now lead the division by 2 1/2 games. Chris Capuano pitched very well today, and the crafty lefty went 6 2/3 shutout innings in the no decision. Tony Cingrani dominated the Dodgers, and he only allowed 1 lone Chris Capuano single through 7 innings of work. The Dodgers struck out an eye-popping 20 times against Cincinnati pitching, but the Dodgers bullpen was able to hold on until Puig could take matters into his own batting gloved hands in the bottom of the eleventh. Puig had struck out thrice prior to his homerun, but he took advantage of Partch’s mistake and clobbered a fastball into left field.

The Dodgers celebrate after Yasiel Puig’s walk-off homerun in the 11th inning. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Belisario, Rodriguez, Jansen, and even League pitched scoreless ball into the eleventh. League pitched two scoreless innings to my amazement. The Dodgers improve to 56-48 on the season as they win yet another series.

Chris Capuano opens the game by striking out lead-off hitter Derrick Robinson. Chris Heisey is retired on a fly out, and Joey Votto continues to hit well against the Dodgers by singling. With Brandon Phillips at the plate, a wild pitch by Capuano advances Votto  to second. Capuano finally gets Phillips out after a eight-pitch at-bat with a groundout to Uribe at third.

Mark Ellis lines out to third, and Yasiel Puig strikes out against lefty Tony Cingrani. Adrian Gonzalez also strikes out as the Dodgers go down in order.

Cappy pitches a good 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second. Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, and Zack Cozart are retired consecutively.

Hanley Ramirez strikes out to start the home half of the second, and that’s the third Dodger Cingrani has whiffed in a row. Jerry Hairston Jr. flies out. Andre Ethier hits a little comebacker, and the Dodgers go down in order again.

Capuano looks good, and he shuts down the Reds in order in the top of the third. He strikes out both Cingrani and Derrick Robinson for the second time.

Cingrani continues to whiff Dodgers left and right as Uribe and Tim Federowicz both strikeout against the southpaw in the bottom of the third. The Dodgers finally get their first hit thanks to Chris Capuano. Cappy gets his first hit of the season, a single, with two outs. Mark Ellis sends the ball for a ride to left field, but Heisey catches up to it right at the foul pole for the third out.

In the fourth, Capuano strikes out Joey Votto on a high breaking ball for out #2. Phillips grounds out, and Cappy continues to roll on.

Cingrani is also on a roll, and he begins the bottom of the fourth by striking out Puig for the second time and inducing a groundout from Gonzo. Hanley also strikes out for a second time, and Cingrani has struck out 7 Dodgers through 4 innings.

Capuano has another good inning in the top of the fifth, and he has now retired 13 in a row.

The Dodgers go down quietly in order in the bottom of the fifth, and each team has just one single each through five.

Chris Capuano only allowed 3 hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the Reds in game 4. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The third hit of the game comes in the top of the sixth for the Reds. Devin Mesoraco doubles to center field with nobody out. Cingrani bunts Mesoraco over to third. Juan Uribe executes a good rundown as Mesoraco comes down the line on a fielder’s choice by Robinson. Hairston snares a fly ball hit by Heisey to end the inning.

The Dodgers can’t muster anything off Cinbrani in the bottom of the sixth. Capuano and MEllis both strikeout, and Cingrani has now struck out 9.

In the top of the seventh, Votto comes up with his second hit. He doubles to the left center field gap. Capuano gets the first two outs, and then Don Mattingly decides to bring the hook. Ronald Belisario will be asked to get the last out. Belisario promptly walks Frazier, and Mattingly will bring in Skip Schumaker to replace JHair in left field. Belisario rears back and strikes out Cozart! The game remains scoreless.

Chris Capuano pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings and allowed only 3 hits while striking out 4 and walking none on 83 pitches.

Puig draws a lead-off walk in the bottom of the seventh. With Adrian Gonzalez at bat, Puig makes a costly mistake by being picked off. Gonzalez fans at a big curveball for strike three, and that’s the 10th strikeout by Cinbrani. Hanley Ramirez strikes out for the third time, and the Dodgers and Reds remain in a scoreless lock.

Belisario gets the first out in the top of the eighth, and then Mattingly will go to the bullpen to bring in the lefty Paco Rodriguez. Paco hits Shin-Shoo Choo with a pitch. Robinson pops up. With Heisey at the plate, Choo steals second. Heisey pops out to Gonzo, and the runner is stranded at second.

Tony Cingrani pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 hit while striking out 11 and walking 1 on 99 pitches.

Tony Cingrani struck out 10 Dodgers in 7 innings. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

In the bottom of the eighth, Manny Parra will come out of the Cincinnati’s bullpen to take over for Cingrani. Skip strikes out. Ethier strikes out. Sensing a pattern here? The Reds will go to the pen for another pitching change. Sam LeCure will come in to pitch to Juan Uribe. Uribe legs out a double on a ball hit to center field for the Dodgers second hit of the game. FedEx strikes out to erase any sort of scoring possibility as we head to the ninth still scoreless.

Kenley Jansen will pitch the top of the ninth for the Dodgers. Jansen pitches a 1-2-3 inning. His dominance is wonderful to watch.

LeCure is still in for the bottom of the ninth, and he will face pinch-hitter Nick Punto to lead-off. Punto strikes out, and that’s the 15th strikeout today by the Dodgers. That’s the most since a game back in 2006. Mark Ellis singles. Make that 16 Ks. Puig strikes out for the third time of the game. Oh wait…here comes number 17…Gonzo strikes out to end the frame. We will play extras.

Brandon League, who has won back the graces of Mattingly, comes in to pitch the top of the tenth. League walks former Dodger Xavier Paul to put the winning run on board. Mesoraco grounds into a double play to end the threat!

Curtis Partch comes out of the Cincinnati pen for the bottom of the tenth. Hanley Ramirez hits a broken bat single to lead things off. Schumaker sacrifices Ramirez over to second with a bunt. The Reds will intentionally walk Ethier to bring up Uribe. Uribe and FedEx both strikeout for number 18 and 19.

Brandon League will begin the top of the eleventh game. League retires the side in order to our surprise and relief.

Elian Herrera strikes out swinging in the bottom of the eleventh for the 20th Dodger strikeout. Mark Ellis pops out. Yasiel Puig comes up with two outs and proceeds to crush a huge homerun to left field to walk-off with the 1-0 win! What a glorious way to end the series!

Tomorrow is a much needed off day for the Boys in Blue before the Yankees come into town for a two-game set on Tuesday and Wednesday.