Russell Martin drove a two-run, two-out single up the middle for the Dodgers' 10th walk-off win of the season, and Los Angeles swept the St. Louis Cardinals with a 2-1 victory Wednesday.
The 36-year-old Martin delivered after a frustrating offensive day for the Dodgers, who have won five straight despite the best efforts of Jack Flaherty. Los Angeles couldn't score during seven brilliant innings of four-hit ball by the Cardinals starter in his hometown ballpark, but the Dodgers still came through against St. Louis' bullpen.
Andrew Miller hit Corey Seager with a pitch with one out in the ninth, and Carlos Martinez (2-2) gave up pinch-hitter Will Smith's single. After Martinez threw a wild pitch to move up both runners, Martin bounced a two-strike single through the middle, and Smith sprinted home with the winning run.
Casey Sadler (2-0) pitched the ninth for Los Angeles, which avoided its first shutout loss since May 18 with its final swing.
Los Angeles improved to 46-15 at home while hitting double digits in walk-off wins and matching the total walk-offs by last season's pennant-winning Dodgers.
Marcell Ozuna homered off Dodgers rookie Dustin May in the sixth inning for the Cardinals, who went 0-5 on their California road trip after scoring just two runs in three games at Dodger Stadium.
Flaherty struck out 10 with just one walk while dominating for the second time as a pro at Dodger Stadium, where he attended his first game on his mother's lap when he was less than a year old. In his Chavez Ravine debut as a pro last year, Flaherty threw six innings of scoreless one-hit ball for the Cards.
The right-hander was born and raised in Burbank, California, just a few miles away on the other side of historic Griffith Park. Flaherty even led Harvard-Westlake School to a state championship at Dodger Stadium six years ago by throwing a shutout and driving in the only run in a 1-0 win in the title game.
May threw 5 2/3 innings of five-hit ball in a strong second career start for the Dodgers, who called up the redheaded power pitcher last week. May had seven strikeouts and held his own with Flaherty, but remained winless in the big leagues.
After a travel day home, Dakota Hudson (10-6, 3.99 ERA) looks for a bounce-back start against Chris Archer (3-8, 5.35 ERA) and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
