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Urshela's walk-off homer seals Tigers' comeback victory against Dodgers
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    Urshela’s walk-off homer seals Tigers’ comeback victory against Dodgers

    DETROIT — Gio Urshela hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning after the Detroit Tigers overcame a 9-4 deficit in the ninth to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday.

    “I don’t know how to appropriately comment on that game,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s an amazing feeling to see the guys happy — what a comeback on both sides of the ball.”

    Wenceel Perez bunted Ryan Vilade to third to start the 10th. The Dodgers played a five-man infield, but Urshela ruined the strategy by homering to left off Yohan Ramirez (0-4).

    “What a game by the whole team,” said Urshela, who didn’t enter the game until extra innings. “They fought so hard and I just wanted to get the runner to home plate.”

    Shohei Ohtani hit his 200th homer and tripled, giving him 233 total bases — the eighth-highest total before the All-Star break since the game was first played in 1933.

    Ricky Vanasco started the ninth for the Dodgers, but didn’t retire any of the three batters he faced. It was 9-6 when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts brought in closer Evan Phillips.

    Phillips retired the first two batters, but Carson Kelly hit an RBI single to make it 9-7 and Colt Keith tied the game with a homer to left.

    “With a five-run lead, especially the way we’ve been rolling, we have to win that game,” Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said. “We went cutter up and in and (Keith) just got to it. We needed to close out that game sooner.”

    Will Vest (2-3) got Freddie Freeman to hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the top of the 10th.

    The Dodgers have lost five of six while the Tigers have won seven of nine.

    The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead when Ohtani led off the game with a triple and scored when Freeman grounded into a force at second.

    Detroit got two runs in the second, with Kiké Hernández’s error helping set up Keith’s two-run double, but the Dodgers tied it in the third. They loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. Montero struck out Andy Pages for the second out but walked Chris Taylor to make it 2-2.

    The inning could have gotten much worse for Detroit, as right fielder Vilade lost Gavin Lux’s flyball in the sun, but he recovered to make a lunging catch.

    Ohtani led off the fifth with a long homer to right and Lux made it 5-2 with a two-run single later in the inning.

    Vilade and Andy Ibáñez led off the bottom of the inning with back-to-back homers. Vilade’s was the first of his major-league career.

    Cavan Biggio walked in the sixth, took third on a Barnes single and scored the sixth Dodgers run when Ohtani grounded into a force at second.

    Hernández made it 8-4 with a two-run homer in the seventh. Freeman’s sacrifice fly scored Ohtani to make it 9-4 in the eighth.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Tigers 1B Mark Canha (wrist) and SS Javier Baez (back) left the game with injuries. Urshela entered the game in the 10th inning to play first base after Ibáñez and Vilarde struggled to play the unfamiliar position.

    UP NEXT

    The Tigers and Dodgers finish the three-game series on Sunday afternoon, with both teams expected to get nine innings out of their bullpens. Roberts said the Dodgers will make roster moves to have enough arms for the game.

    “I think both teams would lobby to play seven innings tomorrow,” Hinch joked. “We’re both pretty beat up with a bullpen game coming.”

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    In a thrilling matchup between the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, it was Gio Urshela who emerged as the hero with a walk-off homer to seal a stunning comeback victory for the Tigers.

    The game started off with the Dodgers taking an early lead, thanks to some solid hitting and strong pitching from their ace starter. However, the Tigers refused to go down without a fight and slowly chipped away at the deficit with some timely hits and smart base running.

    As the game entered the late innings, the tension in the stadium was palpable as both teams battled it out for the win. With the score tied in the bottom of the ninth, Urshela stepped up to the plate with a chance to be the hero. And boy, did he deliver.

    With a powerful swing of the bat, Urshela sent the ball soaring over the outfield wall, sending the Tigers fans into a frenzy and securing a walk-off victory for his team. The roar of the crowd was deafening as Urshela rounded the bases, knowing that he had just delivered a moment that would be remembered for years to come.

    This victory was not only a testament to Urshela’s clutch performance, but also to the resilience and determination of the Tigers as a team. They never gave up, even when facing a formidable opponent like the Dodgers, and their hard work and perseverance paid off in the end.

    As the Tigers celebrated their thrilling comeback victory, fans were left in awe of Urshela’s heroics and eager to see what other exciting moments this team has in store for the rest of the season. One thing is for sure – with players like Urshela leading the way, the Tigers are a force to be reckoned with in the world of baseball.