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Furcal caps Dodgers' comeback in ninth

Jul 24, 2011 - 6:36 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Rafael Furcal provided the heroics in the ninth with an RBI double to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-6 win over the Washington Nationals in the second of a three-game set.

With Ryan Mattheus (2-2) on the mound, Rod Barajas led off with a single, but was forced out at second on Trent Oeltjen's sacrifice bunt attempt. Jamey Carroll then singled and Furcal won the game with a double over the head of left fielder Laynce Nix.

"I've been fighting myself, the way I'm hitting right now," said Furcal. "The team played so good. It was an exciting game, coming from behind to win."

Furcal made a winner of Javy Guerra (2-0), who pitched a perfect ninth to help the Dodgers win for just the second time in their past seven games.

Matt Kemp and Furcal each finished with two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Dodgers. Starter Ted Lilly lasted just five innings as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts, but he did go 1- for-1 at the plate with a two-run double and three RBI.

Jayson Werth and Rick Ankiel each drove in a pair of runs for the Nationals, who won the opener on Friday but have now lost three of four. Tom Gorzelanny lasted just three innings as he gave up five runs on eight hits.

"Obviously sometimes maybe when you lose one like this, you know it's definitely within our reach, they can become tough," said Ankiel. "But at the end of the day, we got a chance to win the series. As long as we focus on that we'll be ok."

The Nationals struck in the first inning when Michael Morse hit an RBI double and Werth followed with a two-run double for a 3-0 lead.

The Dodgers got one back in the bottom of the frame as Kemp's sacrifice fly scored Furcal. The team wasted an opportunity though, as Kemp's sacrifice came with the bases loaded and no outs and Juan Rivera followed with an inning- ending double play.

LA chipped away further at its deficit in the second. James Loney led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Juan Uribe struck out, Dioner Navarro singled to put men on the corners. Lilly then laid a bunt down the third base line that Ryan Zimmerman fielded. He went to first for the force out and Loney broke for home. Morse made a strong throw to the plate and Wilson Ramos applied the tag, but he couldn't hold on to the ball and Loney was safe to make it a 3-2 game.

The third saw Washington take a 6-2 lead. Zimmerman led off with a single and Werth was later issued an intentional walk. After Ramos flied out, Ankiel doubled home both runners and Ian Desmond followed with a single to score Ankiel.

The runs kept coming as the Dodgers plated three in the bottom of the third. With one out, Kemp doubled and Rivera followed with a single. Loney's sac fly scored Kemp, and Uribe and Navarro reached on a single and walk, respectively, to load the bases. Lilly then helped his cause with a two-run double to make it a 6-5 game.

The runs dried up after that as the next three innings went scoreless until the Dodgers tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Henry Rodriguez got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by getting Loney to ground out, but he walked Navarro with one out in the seventh and Eugenio Velez, who came on to run for Navarro, stole second. Velez then moved to third on a groundout by Carroll and scored when Rodriguez uncorked a pitch over the head of the catcher to even the score.

Game Notes

Velez's run and stolen base were both his first of the year. He has yet to get a hit over five appearances and seven at-bats...The Nationals have not posted consecutive wins at Dodger Stadium since the Montreal Expos did it on September 13 and 14, 1999...Los Angeles reliever Hong-Chi Kuo turned 30 on Saturday...LA batted 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position, but did strand 14.