Dodgers Hammer Houston

HOUSTON (AP) — The World Series is tied once again after the Dodgers staged a ninth-inning rally to take Game 4 at Houston.

Cody Bellinger's tiebreaking, RBI double ignited a five-run ninth as Los Angeles earned a 6-2 win over the Astros. Houston closer Ken Giles entered in the ninth inning and surrendered a single and a walk before Bellinger drove in Corey Seager with the go-ahead run. Austin Barnes added a sacrifice fly off Joe Musgrove, one batter before Joc Pederson unloaded a three-run homer to put the Dodgers ahead 6-1.

Bellinger went 2-for-4 and scored twice after going 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts in the first three games of the series.

It was a riveting pitchers' duel until the ninth. George Springer's sixth-inning homer was the only hit allowed by Alex Wood or the Dodger bullpen until Alex Bregman went deep with two out in the bottom of the ninth. The Astros yielded just four hits before Seager's single leadoff off the ninth.

Charlie Morton had a two-hit shutout going before Bellinger lined a one-out double in the seventh to knock the Houston starter out of the game. Wood was reached for just one hit over 5 2/3s.

Tony Watson worked a perfect eighth to pick up the win. Giles was saddled with the loss.

Game 5 is Sunday in Houston as both managers send their series-opening pitchers to the mound. Clayton Kershaw outdueled Dallas Keuchel (KY'-kul) in the Dodgers' 3-1, Game 1 victory on Tuesday.

The Astros will open next season without the services of first baseman Yuli Gurreil (YOO'-lee gur-ee-EHL').

Major League Baseball has suspended Gurriel for the first five regular-season games of 2018 for making a racist gesture toward Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish during Game 3 of the World Series.

Commissioner Rob Manfred said he felt the time frame of the suspension is appropriate since he didn't want to punish the Astros during the Fall Classic.

The Cuban-born Gurriel pulled on the corners of his eyes after homering off Darvish to spark Houston's four-run second. Gurriel has apologized for the gesture, calling it indefensible.