San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores connects for a ninth inning two run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wed Jul 21, 2021 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

The San Francisco Giants nearly had company atop the National League West, until a ninth-inning rally off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen extended their long stay on top of the heap.The Giants won 4-2, maintaining their 2-game lead over Los Angeles. A sellout crowd of 52,076 was on hand at Dodger Stadium.

With San Francisco trailing 2-1 going into the top of the ninth inning, Buster Posey led off with a pinch-single. Wilmer Flores followed with a two-run home run to left off Jansen.

Jansen struck out Mike Yastrzemski, but Darin Ruf doubled and walks to Donovan Solano and Thairo Estrada loaded the bases with one out. Jansen was booed off the mound as left-hander Victor Gonzales came on. Gonzales fanned Lamonte Wade Jr., but walked Curt Casali for the fourth San Francisco run. Yastrzemski opened the scoring with a first-inning solo home run, his 16th.

Jose Alvarez (3-1) was the winning pitcher in relief, throwing a perfect eighth. Tyler Rogers recorded his 11th save, and Jansen (1-3) was tagged with the loss.

The Giants and Dodgers wrap up their series on Thursday night at Chavez Ravine. Anthony DeSciafani (10-4, 2.78) starts for San Francisco, facing the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler (10-1, 2.37)