LOS ANGELES _ After his hit rolled into the outfield, Justin Turner disappeared inside a cloud of resin powder and a mob of teammates. In the final act of a comeback from a five-run deficit, Turner smacked a walk-off single to secure a 6-5 Los Angeles Dodgers victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night.
The Dodgers are in the midst of a five-game winning streak after sweeping the Twins.
The outcome appeared unlikely _ at least, for those unfamiliar with the 2017 Dodgers. Minnesota taxed Dodgers pitcher Brock Stewart for five runs before he left in the fourth inning. All five were classified as unearned, as they occurred after a throwing error by catcher Yasmani Grandal in the third and a fielding error by second baseman Logan Forsythe in the fourth.
Grandal and Forsythe helped reduce the deficit in the seventh. The Dodgers had gotten on the board with solo homers from Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig earlier in the night against starter Ervin Santana. In the seventh, after singles by Grandal and Forsythe, Chase Utley walloped a two-run double off the wall to trim Minnesota's lead to one run.
The Dodgers tied the score in the eighth. Turner led off with a walk and jetted to third on a single by Enrique Hernandez. Forsythe flied out to center field, deep enough to bring home Turner _ and draw a wild throw from outfielder Zack Granite, who threw the ball toward an unoccupied third base.
Stewart was making his first start of the season. He got promoted out of the bullpen after the team put Clayton Kershaw (lower-back strain) and Brandon McCarthy (blisters) on the 10-day disabled list. Stewart had not given up a run in 13 innings this season.
He also had not thrown more than 3 1/3 innings in one appearance this season. Before the game, manager Dave Roberts suggested Stewart would throw 45 to 50 pitches. Stewart made it to 55 before exiting with two outs in the fourth inning.
The Twins had scored three runs before Stewart left. His defense did him few favors in the third inning.
After a single by catcher Jason Castro, Grandal bounded from behind the plate to grab a bunt by Santana. Grandal tried to cut down Castro at second base but the throw eluded shortstop Corey Seager.
The error hurt Stewart. Two batters later, Granite delivered a run-scoring single.
Joe Mauer, the former American League MVP, provided a two-run single soon after.
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