By Canadian Press

Hernandez single in 9th lifts Dodgers over Blue Jays 3-2

Aug 22, 2019 | 10:26 PM

LOS ANGELES — Kiké Hernandez capped a three-run ninth inning by blooping a single to score Corey Seager and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Thursday night after being one-hit through eight innings.

After being shut down by rookie Jacob Waguespack, the Dodgers rallied with three straight hits against Derek Law (0-2). Max Muncy led off the ninth with a walk and advanced to third when Cody Bellinger lined a one-out double to the right-field corner. Seager tied it with a double to right, and Hernandez provided the walk-off knock on his bobblehead night. It is Los Angeles’ 12th walk-off victory of the season.

Casey Sadler (3-0) got the win with a scoreless inning as the Dodgers got the series sweep.

The Dodgers have a five-game home winning streak going into this weekend’s big series against the New York Yankees. The three-game set could serve as a World Series preview as both are vying for best record in the majors. Los Angeles has a two-game lead on New York.

Waguespack allowed only one hit over seven innings, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits, including a home run, for Toronto.

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The 25-year old right-hander struck out five in his seventh major league start. The only baserunners he allowed were in the third when Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda lined a one-out single to left and A.J. Pollock walked. Waguespack got out of the jam by striking out Muncy and Justin Turner lining out to centre on the 10th pitch of his at-bat.

Guerrero drove Maeda’s curveball over the wall in centre on the first pitch of his at-bat in the fifth inning for his 15th homer of the year to extend Toronto’s lead to two.

Randal Grichuk and Billy McKinney led off the inning with singles and advanced to second and third on Danny Jansen’s ground out to Maeda. Grichuck scored on Derek Fisher’s grounder to Hernandez at second.

Maeda surrendered singles to three of the first six Blue Jays’ hitters he faced before retiring 11 straight. The right-hander went six innings and allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.

WEB GEMS

Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson made a pair of defensive plays to rob Toronto of hits. He made a nice running grab near the wall on Bo Bichette’s line drive in the third and then a diving catch on a bloop fly by Jansen in the seventh.

Guerrero made a diving catch on Russell Martin’s liner at third base in the eighth.

DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER

Muncy’s bid for a club record sixth straight game with a home run ended as he went 0 for 3. Muncy also had a nine-game hitting streak snapped where he went deep six times and drove in 12 runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: INF David Freese (left hamstring strain) did some running before the game and is on target to return Sept. 1. … LHP Rich Hill (flexor tendon strain) will throw a bullpen session Saturday with a full mix of pitches.

Blue Jays: Closer Ken Giles has been placed on the paternity list and isn’t eligible to be activated until Sunday. Right-hander Jordan Romano was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo but wasn’t used after throwing 20 pitches Wednesday. Law was tabbed as Giles’ replacement.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: Open three-game series at Seattle on Friday. RHP Trent Thornton (4-8, 5.30) went six innings and allowed three earned runs against the Mariners on Aug. 17.

Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-3) leads the majors with a 1.64 ERA as he takes the hill for the series opener against the Yankees Friday.

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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press