Giant slayer: Farmer helps LA win in extras

SAN FRANCISCO -- Kyle Farmer has two extra-inning, game-winning doubles in his Major League career, both against the Giants. As he dressed to leave AT&T Park after his latest one Sunday, he said angry Giants fans haven't done anything outlandish toward their newest villain in the historic rivalry between the clubs. They will, he was told.
"I'd love to get booed here. That means you're doing something right," Farmer said after he salvaged an otherwise losing trip when his two-out double cashed in Cody Bellinger's leadoff double for a 2-1 win in 10 innings, snapping a four-game losing streak. "Hopefully, one day."
No doubt Farmer -- whose MLB debut was a walk-off two-run double against the Giants last July 30 -- will hear the boos, and then some, when the Dodgers return to AT&T Park at the end of the month. But he was greeted like a hero by teammates when he got back to the Dodgers clubhouse after writing a happy ending to the club's third extra-inning game on the rain-shortened, five-game trip.
"In his short time here, he's come up with big hits for us," manager Dave Roberts said. "I don't know if it's a coincidence, but the kid likes to be in that spot, doesn't scare off. Big for his confidence and our whole ballclub."
And while the Dodgers again couldn't get starter Clayton Kershaw enough support for his first win of the year (three starts, two runs of support, no wins), they enjoyed watching Kenley Jansen's 94 mph velocity return as he picked up his first save of the year by striking out the side around an infield single in a 24-pitch inning.

"That was Kenley right there," said Kershaw. "Ball had life. Two-seamer to [Brandon] Crawford was disgusting to strike him out. That was the Kenley we expect. That's a really good sign for us."
And even though Kershaw's velocity was mostly 90-91 mph with an occasional 92, the slider and curve were effective enough to keep the Giants scoreless while he was in the game. At one point, Kershaw retired 12 consecutive batters, but he got a quick hook with no outs in the eighth after a single to center by Hunter Pence and a perfect bunt single by Kelby Tomlinson. JT Chargois was brought in to face pinch-hitter Buster Posey, who singled home the run charged to Kershaw and equalized the run that Matt Kemp singled home in the fourth inning.

"I really didn't have a ton in the tank," said Kershaw. "Wasn't super crisp. Guys made awesome plays behind me. Wasn't pretty, but we'll take it. When things aren't going well, the first win after a bad stretch is always hard. When you're going well, winning comes easy. When you're in a rut, it takes hard wins. Today was a good step in that regard."
Bellinger's double that started the winning rally went to left field, the same direction as his foul bunt the night before, which he acknowledged is a response to defensive shifts, taking what it is given.
"You never want to talk in extremes and you don't want to say must-win at this time," said Roberts. "Today, we had very good at-bats, hit balls hard all over the field, we got good pitching, some really nice plays defensively."
The quirky schedule presents the Dodgers with another day off Monday to further reset after back-to-back extra-inning games.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
You like defense? In the first inning, second baseman Austin Barnes robbed Austin Jackson of a hit. In the third inning, center fielder Chris Taylor made a four-star diving catch as measured by Statcast™ to rob Tomlinson of extra bases. Kershaw made a sliding stop to field Ty Blach's nubber and threw him out one batter later. Yasiel Puig went to his knees to catch Joe Panik's sinking liner in the sixth and doubled Gorkys Hernández off second base for a double play. Joc Pederson, a defensive replacement for Kemp in left field, made a sliding catch on Andrew McCutchen's drive in the seventh. A Logan Forsythe to Chase Utley to Bellinger double-play grounder by Jackson cut short the Giants' rally in the eighth. And Taylor made a nice running catch of Evan Longoria's long fly to center in the ninth.

An early lead: Kemp's second RBI of the season put the Dodgers on the board in the fourth inning, a one-out single after Puig's single and a walk to Kiké Hernández. Kemp also singled in the second inning.

QUOTABLE
"We fought a tough one. What's-his-name hit a double to right field." -- Jansen, forgetting the name of heroic teammate Farmer
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
A stolen base in the seventh inning gave Utley, age 39, the team lead with two.
WHAT'S NEXT
After a scheduled day off Monday, the Dodgers open the homestand Tuesday with a 7:10 p.m. PT game against Oakland and expect Bellinger to return to the starting lineup. The first baseman was given Sunday's start off after battling a suspected case of food poisoning. Hyun Jin Ryu is expected to pitch, his first appearance since April 2.
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