The Los Angeles Dodgers Cody Bellinger watches the flight of his bottom of eighth inning grand slam home run at Dodgers Stadium against the San Francisco Giants on Fri Jul 22, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The San Francisco Giants hoped to get a win over the LA Dodgers Friday night in the second game of the four-game series. The Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb, to the hill. The Dodgers countered with lefty Tyler Anderson.

Anderson is 10-1 and has an ERA of 2.91. The 32-year-old left made the National League All-Star team due to his outstanding work in the year’s first half. Both pitchers performed well. Each went six innings and allowed just one run. Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to send LA to a 5-1 win over the Giants.

The Dodgers drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts singled to get things going for LA. Webb retired the next two hitters. It was at this point that Webb could not find the strike zone. He walked Will Smith, Max Muncy, and Gavin Lux. Betts scored the Dodgers’ first run. 

Tyler Anderson was on top of his game for the first three innings of the game. He allowed the Giants just one hit. The Giants tied the game in the top of the fourth when they scored an unearned run. With one out, Evan Longoria singled to get things going for SF.

Thairo Estrada reached on an infield single. Dodgers’ third baseman Max Muncy’s throw to first got by first baseman Freddie Freeman. Longoria advanced to third on the error. Yermin Mercedes singled to drive in Longoria with the tying run. 

The score remained tied until the eighth inning. The Giants got a man into scoring position in the top of the eighth but failed to score. Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler brought in Lefty Sam Long to pitch. Long gave up a single to Freddie Freeman.

Freeman went to second on a wild pitch. Long retired Will Smith for the first out. Lamont Wade, who pinch-hit for Darren Ruf in the eighth, made a fielding error on Muncy’s sharp ground ball. Freeman went to third on the play.

Long struck out Lux for the second out. If Long could retire Jake Lamb, things might have turned out differently for the Giants. Long hit Lamb on his wrist to load the bases. Long had to face Cody Bellinger. Bellinger, a former National League MVP, hit a grand slam to put the Dodgers in the drivers’ seat. LA led 5-1 after eight.

The Dodgers brought in Craik Kimbrel to close out the game. Estrada singled. Kimbrel retired Mercedes for the first out. Luis Gonzalez, pinch-hitting for Joey Bart, doubled. Kimbrel then retired the next two hitters to secure the win for the Dodgers. 

Game Notes: With the loss, the Giants are 48-45. The Dodgers are 61-30.

The line score for the Giants was one run, seven hits, and two errors. The Dodgers’ line was five runs, eight hits, and one error.

The teams meet again on Saturday. Alex Wood (6-7, 4.20) will pitch for the Giants, and lefty Julio Urias (8-6, 2.89) goes for the Dodgers. The game will start at 4:15 pm.