Chirinos' walk-off HR lifts Rangers past L.A.
ARLINGTON -- Robinson Chirinos greeted reliever Josh Ravin with a home run leading off the bottom of the ninth inning as the Rangers celebrated a 3-2 walk-off win over the Dodgers in an Interleague game Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.
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The Dodgers had just tied the game on Justin Turner's two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning to chase Rangers rookie starter Chi Chi Gonzalez, who fell two outs short of a shutout win. He walked Howie Kendrick and allowed Turner's homer, leaving the game with an 8 1/3-inning no-decision in his fourth Major League start.
"That's why I love these guys," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "They never quit. They show up every day, they're ready to play. They don't play emotional. They play with emotion. … They don't always get it right. But they've got as much heart and desire as any group of players I've ever been around."
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Texas scored both runs off Dodgers starter Brett Anderson (2-5) with two outs, one in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk by Joey Gallo, another in the fifth inning on what was ruled an infield single by a hustling Prince Fielder. Third baseman Turner's high throw pulled first baseman Adrian Gonzalez off the bag. The run was set up by Elvis Andrus' hit-and-run single.
Video: LAD@TEX: Gonzalez gives up two runs in 8 1/3 innings
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Prince on the bases: Fielder became a social media sensation when the big man face-planted rounding third base on a Mitch Moreland single to left field in the first inning. Funny as it was, it prevented Fielder from attempting to score. Luckily for the Rangers, Anderson walked Joey Gallo to bring Fielder home. Fielder made up for the fall in the fifth, when he hauled down the line to earn an RBI single on Turner's high throw.
"I think he would have been thrown out by 10 feet if he had kept going," said Anderson. "He was going to be dead to rights."
Video: LAD@TEX: Fielder falls down rounding third base
Outfield glove work: Anderson had help keeping the game as close as it was. Right fielder Yasiel Puig ran down Chirinos' fly ball at the warning track to end the first inning with the bases loaded, and center fielder Joc Pederson sprinted to deep center field to catch Shin-Soo Choo's long liner near the fence to end the second inning.
Video: LAD@TEX: Pederson tracks down a deep fly for the out
Closing down: After Gonzalez left the game, Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson got Andre Either to fly out, but then allowed singles to Yasmani Grandal and Alex Guerrero. Tolleson, though, got Jimmy Rollins to fly out to end the inning and preserve the work Gonzalez did through 8 1/3. Tolleson (2-1) picked up the win after the Chirinos homer.
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Video: LAD@TEX: Chirinos on walk-off win, gets drenched
QUOTABLE
"I was mad at myself. But I said, 'Just forget it. Go out there, try to get on base and win this game.' That's what I did, and thank God I got the pitch I was looking for." -- Chirinos on going to the plate in the ninth after calling for the pitch that turned into Turner's home run
• Chirinos picks up his pitcher with walk-off blast
"Go back and look, it was probably right over the plate. We wanted a fastball up and it was down and over the middle." -- Ravin
REVIEW
The Rangers successfully challenged a third-inning call at first base by umpire Chad Fairchild, who ruled Elvis Andrus out on a grounder to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. But a replay official overturned the call and Andrus was safe at first on an infield single.
Video: LAD@TEX: Andrus is called safe at first on review
WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw gets his first career start against his hometown team. He's 8-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 20 Interleague starts. Outfielder Scott Van Slyke is expected to be activated off the disabled list.
Rangers: Wandy Rodriguez will be on the hill against the Dodgers at 9:10 p.m. CT at Dodger Stadium. Rodriguez is 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA in his career against Los Angeles. That is the lowest ERA against any team he has faced at least four times. .
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