Dodgers 1, Rangers 0
LOS ANGELES -- Pinch-runner Enrique Hernandez scored the winning run on a balk in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night in front of 46,977 at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers broke a three-game losing streak and remain 2 1/2 games ahead of the second-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West. The Rangers fell 3 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West.
Hernandez replaced catcher Yasmani Grandal, who walked against right-hander Keone Kela (4-4) to start the bottom of the ninth. Left fielder Andre Ethier followed with another walk before third baseman Alberto Callaspo hit into a double play that sent Hernandez to third base.
With shortstop Jimmy Rollins at the plate, Hernandez ran down the line quickly, then stopped. Kela moved his glove as if he was going to throw to the plate but then stopped, and home-plate umpire Marvin Hudson called the balk.
Right-hander Kenley Jansen (2-0) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to earn the win.
The game quickly became a scoreless pitching duel between two right-handers, the Dodgers' Zack Greinke and the Rangers' Anthony Ranaudo.
Greinke, who won the American League's Cy Young Award in 2009, retired the first nine batters he faced and tied his season best with eight strikeouts. In his seven innings, Greinke issued no walks, conceded four hits and hit one batter.
Ranaudo, recalled from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day, scattered five hits and two walks while striking out four in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander made second start in his second appearance for the Rangers this year.
A video review in the top of the seventh inning proved costly to the Rangers and beneficial to the Dodgers.
With two out and shortstop Elvis Andrus at first base, catcher Robinson Chiniros singled to left field. As left fielder Andre Ethier was jogging to the ball, Andrus sped for third base and arrived with Ethier's throw.
Third-base umpire Chris Segal ruled Andrus safe but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly challenged the call, which replay overturned.
Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke retired the first nine Rangers he faced, four by strikeouts and four by groundouts, before right fielder Shin-Soo Choo lined a single to right field to being the fourth inning.
Choo took second base on second baseman Rougned Odor's infield single and moved to third one out later when first baseman Mitch Moreland hit into a fielder's choice. Shortstop Elvis Andrus followed with a long fly to Puig that ended the threat.
NOTES: Thursday marks the first anniversary of the 8-0 no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies by Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw, who stuck out a career-best 15. ... Texas 1B Prince Fielder leads the American League with a .344 average. Rangers 1B Mitch Moreland started for Fielder against Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke. Fielder's closest competition, Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera, did not play because the Tigers' game against the Cincinnati Reds was rained out. ... The Rangers recalled RHP Anthony Ranaudo from Triple-A Round Rock and placed 1B Kyle Blanks on the 15-day disabled list. Ranaudo started in place of RHP Colby Lewis, who will pitch Friday night in Chicago against the White Sox. ... Los Angeles recalled LHP Daniel Coulombe from Triple-A Oklahoma City and sent OF Chris Heisey to the same club. The Dodgers also assigned INF Darwin Barney to Oklahoma City after he cleared waivers.