Los Angeles Dodgers’ Albert Pujols robbed of walk-off homer; Giants win in 10

LOS ANGELES — Albert Pujols lingered close to the batter’s field after connecting. Many LA gamers jumped the dugout rail. And many followers at Dodger Stadium raised their arms, all able to have fun.

Mike Tauchman had different concepts.

Tauchman remarkably reached over the left-field wall to rob Pujols of a walk-off dwelling run within the backside of the ninth inning, and San Francisco broke by way of within the tenth to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 8-5 thriller Friday night time.

Dodgers pinch-hitter Austin Barnes supplied a jolt when he hit a three-run homer with two outs within the ninth to make it 5-all. Pujols was up subsequent and the just lately signed slugger launched an extended, excessive drive.

“I imply simply off the bat I believed clearly he hit it effectively,” Tauchman stated.

Tauchman angled again to the fence, jumped and made a sensational backhanded seize. He fell to the bottom after knocking into the wall, raised his arm to indicate the ball and hobbled a bit on his approach again to the dugout.

“You possibly can by no means actually inform, however I believe any time you’re going again, or after something, you wish to go laborious at first to maintain your self from drifting. I acquired to the spot to time my soar,” Tauchman stated. “Generally the ball goes in and generally it doesn’t. I occurred to make a play for the boys.”

The Giants acquired Tauchman in late April in a commerce with the New York Yankees, who favored his defensive potential however had no room for him in an overcrowded outfield.

Giants supervisor Gabe Kapler referred to as the play “a superb, very, very tough main league catch up towards a wall that’s not straightforward to scale. Clearly, a game-saver and one of many higher catches we’ve seen all season.”

As Tauchman debated the place that catch ranked in his profession, he stated prime two — however perhaps No. 1.

“I robbed one other homer in Baltimore. I acquired up fairly good,” Tauchman stated. “It’s in all probability essentially the most enjoyable play you can also make. You possibly can apply over your chain-link fence within the yard. The alternatives are so few and much between, so it’s fairly cool.”

Pujols has 668 lifetime dwelling runs and is tied with Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and three different Corridor of Famers with 12 profession walk-off homers, trailing Jim Thome’s report 13.

“Albert hit a homer and simply so occurred the man jumped up and caught it,” Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler stated. “Robust sport for us however on the finish of the day, we nonetheless really feel actually good about what we’ve got on this clubhouse.”

LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a go-ahead single within the Giants tenth off Kenley Jansen (0-2). Evan Longoria added a two-run double.

Tyler Rogers (1-0) acquired the win regardless of giving up Barnes’ homer. Jarlin Garcia acquired his first save since he was a Marlins minor leaguer in 2011.

3 times the Giants had a lead and thrice the Dodger tied it. In the long run, the Giants wound up with their first win over their NL West rivals in 5 tries this season.

The Related Press contributed to this report.