LOS ANGELES - The Giants pulled a few escape acts in the first 11 innings Wednesday night. In the 12th, they finally went down.
Yasmani Grandal opened the bottom of the 12th with a double off Casey Kelly and Max Muncy shot a single into right. Brian Dozier hit a long sacrifice fly to center, ending a four-hour night and giving the Dodgers a 4-3 win at the end of a fascinating series. The Giants took two of three, but headed out of town back at .500, 61-61.
The Giants trailed by three heading into the eighth, but for the third time this series, the Dodgers' bullpen imploded. This time it was Caleb Ferguson, a rookie lefty who has been good for them. Hunter Pence singled and Chase d'Arnaud walked, and Andrew McCutchen stunned a large crowd by skying a hanging curveball just over the fence in left-center, tying the game.
The Dodgers got the winning run to second in the ninth, but they were out of position players and right-hander Kenta Maeda struck out with two outs. The Giants got the go-ahead run to third in the top of the 10th, but Brandon Belt grounded out.
Brian Dozier walked with two down in the bottom of the 10th and went to second when Justin Turner poked a single up the middle. Manny Machado, who already had three hits, nearly ended the game with a laser down the line that went just foul. After a tense battle, Mark Melancon struck him out, extending the night.
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Here are some earlier highlights …
-- Gorkys Hernandez saved a run with a 95 mph strike from center field in the fifth. With two on, Matt Kemp hit a hard single to center and Hernandez came out firing. Dozier was initially ruled safe at the plate, but a replay overturned the call. Hernandez made a perfect throw and Buster Posey put down a quick tag. The Dodgers would leave the bases loaded.
-- It appears Cody Bellinger doesn't read the scouting report. Reyes Moronta has been great, but he tends to be wild early in his outings. With the bases loaded, Bellinger pinch-hit for Kiké Hernandez and swung at the first pitch, which was on the inside edge. He popped up, ending the inning.
-- Derek Holland threw a ton of pitches early and worked through a lot of traffic, but he made it through 4 2/3 shutout innings before handing it off. Giants starters allowed just two runs in this series.
-- Ty Blach will always have the Dodgers. He continued his dominance of them with two shutout innings, the eighth and the ninth.
