SPORT / MISCELLANY
Dodgers outlast Brewers in 13 innings
Los Angeles pull even in National League Championship series
Published: Oct 17, 2018 09:33 PM

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger (fourth from right) celebrates hitting an RBI single to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday in Los Angeles. Photo: IC

Cody Bellinger singled in the winning run with two outs in the 13th inning Tuesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers ­leveled baseball's National League Championship series with a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

In a game that had been tied at 1-1 since the fifth inning, Bellinger lined a 3-2 slider from Milwaukee relief pitcher Junior Guerra into right field, allowing shortstop Manny Machado to score from second base.

"Honestly, I was surprised that they were throwing me," Bellinger said. "I thought they would pitch around me and get me to swing. Once I saw they were attacking me, it was just kind of grind mode and do what you can to put the ball in play and try to end this game."

Machado, who had singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, barely beat Brewers' right fielder Christian Yelich's throw to home.

"As soon as that ball was hit, I just put my head down - trying to pick up the ball at the end and try to sneak in there," said Machado, who didn't see his ­teammates already heading onto the field to celebrate after he rounded third.

The Dodgers, seeking to return to the World Series after falling in seven games to the Houston Astros last year, knotted the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

The winners of the series will take on either the reigning World Series champion Astros or the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball's championship showcase.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series on Tuesday with an 8-2 triumph in Houston sealed by Jackie Bradley Jr's eighth-inning grand slam.

The Dodgers, facing the prospect of falling into a 1-3 hole with a defeat, got off to a promising start with a run in the first inning, when Brian Dozier's single scored Chris Taylor.

The Brewers, whose only prior World Series appearance was a loss to St Louis in 1982, knotted the score in the fifth inning when pinch-hitter Domingo Santana lined a double to right field and Orlando Arcia raced around from first to make it 1-1.

Both teams had plenty of opportunities to end it, but the Brewers went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and the Dodgers were 2-for-10.

Both teams ran out of position ­players and the Dodgers, after five solid innings from starting pitcher Rich Hill, used every relief pitcher they had to eke out the victory.

The tension was evident when the benches cleared in the 10th, with Machado sparking the incident as he grounded out to short with one out.

As he crossed the bag behind Milwaukee first baseman Jesus Aguilar, Machado dragged one foot over the foot Aguilar had stretched out behind him touching the base.

Aguilar took exception and the two traded words. More players briefly piled out of the dugouts but there were no ejections.

It was another controversial moment for Machado, who used his hand to ­hinder Arcia when sliding into second base in game three.

Milwaukee's Travis Shaw and Yelich branded it a dirty play but Machado was unrepentant.

"I play baseball," he said.

"I go out there and try to win for my team."