LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia gave up the tying run to the San Diego Padres in the eighth inning and was told he was out of the game.

A defiant Vesia said no.

He went to manager Dave Roberts and told him he wanted the ball again in the ninth if the Dodgers regained the lead. They did, on Mookie Betts’ tiebreaking homer , and Vesia was back on the mound facing the Padres’ top three hitters.

“It’s one of those moments where you got to just trust your player,” Roberts said, “and I trusted him.”

Vesia induced pop fouls from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez before striking out Manny Machado to end the game. Vesia screamed in celebration as the crowd roared.

The 5-4 victory extended the Dodgers' lead over the Padres in the NL West to two games. San Diego a

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