LOS ANGELES — Kenley Jansen escaped a bases-loaded jam in a bizarre ninth inning that saw both managers on the field trying to figure out what happened, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held off the New York Yankees, 2-1, Saturday.
With many in the sellout crowd of 53,803 at Dodger Stadium on their feet, Jansen struck out Mike Tauchman and pinch-hitter Gary Sánchez to end a matchup between the teams with the best records in baseball.
But it was the play right before that to load the bases that left most everyone in the ballpark wondering what was going on.
There were runners at first and second with one out when Gio Urshela hit a grounder to third baseman Justin Turner, who looked to start a game-ending double play. Second baseman Max Muncy caught Turner’s flip but then got wiped out by Brett Gardner’s hard slide for an apparent forceout.
Gleyber Torres, who had started the play on second base, rounded third and then headed home with Muncy down on the ground, trying to score the tying run. Instead, Torres was stopped by the umpires because time had been called.
CHICAGO — Trea Turner reached base four times and scored twice, Yan Gomes and Howie Kendrick each drove in two runs and surging Washington beat Chicago.
Washington has won four straight and six of seven to extend its lead over Chicago for the top NL wild-card spot to three games. The Nationals have scored a total of 97 runs in their last nine games.
A day after losing to the Nationals 9-3, the Cubs dropped consecutive games at Wrigley Field for the first time since June 25-26 against Atlanta. First baseman Anthony Rizzo exited in the fifth inning with tightness in his middle back — he missed time in May with back trouble.
NEW YORK — The first-place Atlanta Braves signed catcher Francisco Cervelli and immediately plugged him into the starting lineup against the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Cervelli, who has a history of concussions, was recently granted his release by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He gives the NL East leaders a veteran replacement for injured catcher Brian McCann, who is sidelined with a sprained left knee.
The 33-year-old Cervelli joined the Braves on Saturday at Citi Field and was set to bat seventh against Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker says Cervelli will split playing time with Tyler Flowers behind the plate and likely remain with the club when McCann returns because by then rosters will have expanded in September.