LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp hit an RBI single in the 10th inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Casey Blake led off the 10th against David Carpenter (0-2) with a double inside first base, and Andre Ethier was intentionally walked before Kemp slapped an 0-2 pitch the other way just inside the right field line for his fifth career walkoff hit.
Josh Lindblom (1-0) pitched a perfect 10th inning for his first major league win.
The victory was a welcomed relief for the Dodgers, who wasted a leadoff triple in the ninth by Juan Rivera and had the bases loaded with none out. Rodriguez intentionally walked both James Loney and Dioner Navarro before striking out pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. and getting a force at the plate on Jamey Carroll’s tapper toward the mound. Aaron Miles then grounded out to second.
