Herrera keeps Dodgers playoff hopes alive

LOS ANGELES – Elian Herrera knocked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Dodgers a win they needed to stay alive in the playoff race.

Herrera’s single off the glove of second baseman Marco Scutaro knocked in Hanley Ramirez and gave the Dodgers a 3-2 win over the visiting San Francisco Giants before 33,624 at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.

Herrera, who came in the game as part of a double switch in the top of the ninth inning, said it was the biggest hit of his career and gave the Dodgers their sixth win in a row.

“I had to put the ball in play and something can happen,” Herrera said.

The Dodgers needed to win the game to avoid playoff elimination. The Dodgers are two games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final wild-card playoff spot with two games to play. The Cardinals need only one more win to clinch the final wild-card playoff spot after beating the Reds, 4-2.

“It was that kind of game you know? We knew pretty early that we had to do our job,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “We’re looking good and we need to win another game. Right now we have to take care of our part. It would be nice to know that our game means something.”

The Giants jumped on Dodgers starter Aaron Harang early. Buster Posey drove in the first run of the game on an RBI double in the first inning.

Harang settled down after that giving up two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings.

The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run home run by Andre Ethier. It was his 20^th home run of the season. Ethier has 26 hits against Giants starter Matt Cain. No other player in the majors has more.

The Dodgers tried to tack on another run in the sixth inning. Shane Victorino singled to left field with Adrian Gonzalez on second base. But Xavier Nady threw out Gonzalez at the plate to end the inning.

Scutaro tied the score, 2-2, with a one-out, RBI single in the eighth inning. With the single, Scutaro has an 18-game hitting streak.

Posey entered the game leading the National League in hitting with a .338 batting average. Andrew McCutcheon of the Pittsburgh Pirates was second with a .329 batting average. He went 1-for-3 in a 2-1 win against the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

Posey was 1-for-4 against the Dodgers and has a .336 batting average with two games left in the season.

Brandon League (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the win.

Santiago Casilla (7-6) gave up the winning run to Herrera in the ninth inning after loading the bases on a walk and two hits.

Photo: The Dodgers take the field before their game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. (Credit: Tim Haddock)