Rangers 5, Dodgers 3
LOS ANGELES -- Left fielder Joey Gallo hit a two-run home run, first baseman Prince Fielder added a solo homer and left-hander Wandy Rodriguez pitched five shutout innings to lead the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in front of 42,906 at Dodger Stadium.
The Rangers used their third consecutive victory to remain 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West. Despite losing their third game in a row, the Dodgers continue to lead the second-place San Francisco Giants by 2 1/2 games in the National League West.
Fielder and third baseman Adam Rosales each had two of the Rangers' eight hits, with Fielder hitting his 11th home run of the season. Second baseman Rougned Odor also drove in two runs.
Rodriguez (4-2) defused several potential scoring opportunities before leaving in the sixth inning. The 36-year-old veteran allowed three runs, nine hits and a walk while getting two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers brought the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning when center fielder Joc Pederson walked with one out. But right-hander Keone Kela earned his first major league save by getting first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to fly out to Gallo in deep left field and striking out second baseman Howie Kendrick.
Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw took the loss. Kershaw (5-4) amassed 10 strikeouts in six innings, issued only one walk and five hits while allowing three runs.
The Dodgers had a chance to take an early lead.
Right fielder Yasiel Puig hit the first pitch from left-hander Wandy Rodriguez down the left-field line for a double in the bottom of the first inning. But with Puig at third base on a fielder's choice, Texas right fielder Shin-Soo Choo ended the inning with a one-handed catch of third baseman Justin Turner's fly ball on the warning track.
Instead, the Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second against left-hander Clayton Kershaw. First baseman Prince Fielder lined a double into right-center field, moved to third base on third baseman Adam Rosales' single and scored on an unusual fielder's choice.
Second baseman Rougned Odor hit a pop fly into short center field. Center fielder Chris Heisey charged before letting the ball drop, then threw to second baseman Howie Kendrick to retire Rosales.
The Dodgers responded in the bottom of the second by putting the potential go-ahead run in scoring position with two out. Left fielder Scott Van Slyke doubled. Then after catcher A.J. Ellis walked with one out, both runners advanced on Kershaw's sacrifice. But Puig flied out to end the inning.
Texas added two runs in the third on left fielder Joey Gallo's two-run home run. Rodriguez began the inning with his first hit in his first at-bat of the season: a blooped single into center field. Two outs later, Gallo pounded Kershaw's 88 mph slider half-way up the right-field bleachers for his fifth homer since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on June 2.
The Dodgers' mistakes enabled the Rangers to extend the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth. Kershaw struck out Rosales but Ellis lost the ball at home plate, and Rosales reached base on the passed ball. Kershaw then balked Rosales to second base, then Odor's single up the middle brought Rosales home.
But the hosts narrowed their deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Van Slyke began the rally with a two-run home run into the left-field bleachers. Shortstop Enrique Hernandez followed with a double past Fielder's glove, then scored on pinch-hitter Alex Guerrero's one-out single that chased Rodriguez.
NOTES: The Rangers are playing at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 2001. ... Texas scratched 1B Kyle Blanks about 90 minutes before the first pitch because of Achilles tendinitis and replaced him with 1B Prince Fielder. Blanks is the Rangers' only right-handed hitter who can play first base. ... The Rangers' staff entered the game with 12 successive quality starts, a team record. ... Los Angeles activated OF Scott Van Slyke from the 15-day disabled list and placed RHP Chris Hatcher on the DL with a strained left oblique muscle. Van Slyke started in left field and batted sixth. ... Dodgers LHP Paco Rodriguez is scheduled to make a rehab start Wednesday night for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. ... Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez is second to the Arizona Diamondbacks' 1B Paul Goldschmidt in All-Star voting for the National League's starter at the position.