Dodgers outlast Braves in 10 iings for 2nd straight day

ATLANTA — The Dodgers struggled to score Thursday, even when they did.

Offense wasn’t the Dodgers’ forte the last three days at Tuer Field, a series in which they scored eight runs while taking two out of the three games. Thursday, they beat the Braves 2-1 in 10 iings on the strength of Yasmani Grandal’s RBI double.

Dodger pitching, and occasionally Dodger defense, dominated the rebuilding Braves in a pair of 10-iing wins the last two days.

Clayton Kershaw recorded his longest outing of the season Thursday, allowing one run in eight iings while throwing 116 pitches. Chris Hatcher pitched a 1-2-3 ninth iing and Kenley Jansen a scoreless 10th, his second save in as many days.

The game should have ended earlier.

Kershaw, batting for himself with two outs in the seventh iing, sent a line drive into the spacious right-field gap. Center fielder Mallex Smith and right fielder Jeff Francoeur collided in pursuit of the ball, which fell to the ground for a two-base error.

Rookie Corey Seager then lined a single to right field, and third base coach Chris Woodward sent Kershaw home. The play at the plate was close because of Francoeur’s strong right arm. Kershaw insisted he was safe. Umpire Angel Heandez called him out. The Dodgers quickly challenged and lost after a lengthy review, and the game remained tied 1-1.

Several television angles appeared to show Kershaw was safe. So did the pitcher’s reaction; he immediately nodded to manager Dave Roberts to challenge the call. But there was no “clear and convincing evidence to confirm or overtu the call” -- the league’s verbiage -- and the call stood.

It was only the second challenge the Dodgers have lost in six tries this season.

Joc Pederson batted cleanup for the first time in the major leagues on his 24th birthday. His first-iing single drove in Seager with the Dodgers’ first run.

The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the first iing on an RBI double by Daniel Castro.

The Colorado Rockies host the Dodgers for a three-game series begiing Friday.

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