By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — J.D. Davis led off the 10th inning with an RBI double after the Mets blew a two-run lead in the ninth, and New York hung on to salvage a four-game series split with a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Pete Alonso doubled home the tying run in the eighth and scored the go-ahead run on Eduardo Escobar’s sacrifice fly for the Mets, who have won eight of 11. Alonso then started the 10th on second base as the automatic runner and scored another go-ahead run on Davis’ hit off Craig Kimbrel (0-2).
Will Smith homered and Eddy Alvarez tied it with a two-out RBI single in the ninth for the Dodgers, who have lost five of seven. They fell to 31-2 this season when leading after seven innings.
Rookie right-hander Adonis Medina retired Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman to open the Dodgers’ half of the 10th before Trea Turner reached on catcher interference, putting runners at the corners. Turner stole second without a throw but Medina coolly struck out Smith to earn his first career save in his sixth appearance for the Mets.
Starling Marte homered early in the second straight victory for the Mets, who won at Dodger Stadium after trailing in the eighth inning for the first time since July 22, 2007. New York, which has lost only two of its first 17 series this season, improved to 5-0 in extra-inning games.
The Dodgers dropped to 0-4 after splitting this series between the NL’s top two teams by winning percentage. New York (37-19) nudged back ahead of Los Angeles (35-19) for the NL’s best record.
Turner hit an early two-run homer, and Los Angeles nursed that 2-1 lead before Alonso, Escobar and Tomas Nido drove in runs against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the eighth.
Smith then hit a leadoff homer in the ninth off Seth Lugo (1-1), who came on after Mets closer Edwin DÃaz retired the Dodgers’ 1-2-3 hitters in the eighth. After Chris Taylor’s double, Alvarez smacked Lugo’s first pitch into center to tie it in his second appearance for the Dodgers, who recalled the former Olympic medal-winning speed skater Friday.
Julio UrÃas pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning for the Dodgers, rebounding from two dismal home starts in which he allowed 16 hits and 12 runs. The left-hander walked three and struck out four, but New York’s late rally left him 1-4 over his past six starts in the Dodgers’ topsy-turvy rotation, where depth starters Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson are dominating while UrÃas and Walker Buehler struggle.
Trevor Williams yielded six hits and struck out five over five innings for New York.
CLOSE CALL
Mets leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo dropped to the dirt in pain after getting hit near the right wrist by a full-count pitch from Caleb Ferguson in the seventh inning. Nimmo sprained that wrist last month and missed a few games, but he stayed in this game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (right biceps tendinitis) pitched into the fourth inning of a rehab start at Double-A Binghamton. He’s likely to return to New York soon.
Dodgers: Kevin Pillar will have surgery Tuesday on his injured shoulder, and his season is likely over, manager Dave Roberts said. The veteran outfielder achieved a lifelong dream when he joined his hometown Dodgers last month, but he appeared in only four games before getting hurt while sliding last Wednesday. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (back pain) threw four innings of three-hit ball in a minor league rehab start. He could return to LA’s rotation this weekend for his first start since May 7.
UP NEXT
Mets: Carlos Carrasco (6-1, 3.63 ERA) takes the mound in San Diego on Monday to open a three-game series with the Padres.
Dodgers: After a travel day, Mitch White (1-1, 4.79 ERA) is expected to take the mound Tuesday in Chicago when LA opens a three-game series with the White Sox.
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