LOS ANGELES -- Adam LaRoche didnt start on Wednesday for the Washington Nationals, but he sure did finish. LaRoche pinch-hit in the ninth inning and ended up with five RBIs in Washingtons wild 8-5, 14-inning win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a tying homer, a go-ahead two-run single in the 12th, and added a run-scoring grounder in the 14th that sent the Nationals to a hard-fought victory. LaRoche was scheduled to sit out on Wednesday because of a strained lower back, but entered in the ninth and made an immediate impact with a homer to tie it 2-2. "We had to use Adam even though we didnt want to," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He was huge for us, especially hitting that homer in the ninth." Asdrubal Cabrera added a two-run shot in the final inning for the Nationals, who withstood two late Los Angeles rallies in a game that lasted 5 hours, 34 minutes -- the longest at Dodger Stadium this season. Washington won two of three in the series, a potential playoff preview between NL division leaders. All of LaRoches RBIs either tied the game or gave the Nationals the lead. LaRoche gave the Nationals the lead for good with a fielders choice grounder in the 14th after an error by shortstop Justin Turner. Ian Desmond scored on the play, and LaRoche beat the relay to first to avoid a potential inning-ending double play. LaRoche was also hit by a pitch on the left elbow in the 11th, but fought through the pain and stayed in. He wasnt/t made available to the media after the game because he was receiving so much medical treatment, according to team staff. "Getting hit in the elbow there makes it really difficult for him to swing the bat," Williams said. "When we loaded the bases in the 12th he didnt know if he could swing. We were thinking about putting down a bunt, but he just stayed on the ball and hit a two-run single." Cabrera added his two-run homer in the 14th, and Blake Treinen (2-3) finally made the lead stand up. "It was fun to watch and just be a part of," Treinen said. "I really just tried to go out there and execute. Nothing fancy." Kevin Correia (2-3) took the loss. Washington used 10 of the 18 pitchers who appeared in a game that featured three blown saves. The Dodgers rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the ninth and then a 5-3 hole in the 13th on Carl Crawfords homer, but ultimately came up short. Los Angeles led 2-0 going into the ninth, when Washington tagged closer Kenley Jansen for four hits and three runs, including LaRoches tying homer and Denard Spans go-ahead single with two outs. A defensive mistake in the bottom half forced extra innings. With two outs and a runner on first, Nationals closer Rafael Soriano got Turner to hit a fly to right for what appeared to be the third out. Instead, right fielder Jayson Werth dropped the ball in the right-field corner for an error, and a surprised Andre Ethier raced home from first to tie it at 3. "It was tough but Kenley has done a great job for us all year," Turner said. "We came back and scratched one out in the ninth and battled the whole game." Thats how it stayed until the 12th. A walk by Anthony Rendon and singles by Werth and Bryce Harper loaded the bases with one out. LaRoche then lined a single into left field to put the Nationals back on top. Again, the Dodgers rallied to tie it. Tyler Clippard quickly retired the first two batters in the bottom half, but Juan Uribe singled and Crawford followed with a home run to left-centre, whipping the remaining fans at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy. "I think this was a good game for us," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "The positive side of this is that the effort and determination and perseverance from our guys is going to get us where we want to go. Our guys fought all day." TRAINERS ROOM Dodgers: Mattingly said it was "probably not very possible" that RHP Josh Beckett will pitch again this season. Beckett has been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with a left hip impingement. Mattingly added that LHP Paco Rodriguez threw a bullpen session with no complications and could begin throwing to hitters in the next few days. Rodriguez has been on the DL since Aug. 4 with a shoulder strain. UP NEXT Washington is off on Thursday and then opens a three-game home series against Philadelphia on Friday. RHP Stephen Strasburg (11-10, 3.49 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener. Los Angeles is off on Thursday before beginning a three-game home series against Arizona on Friday. RHP Dan Haren (11-10, 4.27) will start the opener. Keenan Allen Chargers Jersey . In sunny and almost windless conditions, the Swede shot four consecutive birdies on the front nine on his way to a 68 and went 9 under for a one-shot lead over Englands Lee Slattery and two over Paraguays Farbrizio Zanotti (68). Dan Fouts Chargers Jersey . Plata blasted a rising shot to the upper left corner for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. He got the kick after referee Allen Chapman ruled Chris Tierney fouled John Stertzer in the penalty area. http://www.prochargersteamstore.com/Youth-Melvin-Ingram-Elite-Jersey/ . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive. Lance Alworth Jersey .Y. - Phil Varone was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Rochester Americans edged the Toronto Marlies 3-2 on Sunday in American Hockey League action. Antonio Gates Jersey . Fognini won 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 after Argentinas Carlos Berlocq had beaten Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1 on the outdoor clay surface. Doubles are set for Saturday with reverse singles on Sunday to decide which team reaches the quarterfinals.CARDIFF -- Wales and France want to put things right on Friday. Whichever one does at Millennium Stadium will have a huge bearing on the Six Nations. Welsh ambitions of three straight championships are on thin ice. That strut in their stride that coach Warren Gatland said they should show off before the tournament has been replaced by a limp. After the 26-3 thrashing from Ireland for their worst Six Nations result in eight years, they face two consecutive defeats. That hasnt happened since 2010, when France last won in Cardiff, which also happened to be on a Friday night. "We need to react," said George North, who after 37 destructive caps on the wing will start at centre to answer an SOS by Wales. Having beating England and Italy in Paris, the French are on remarkable course to the title. But they are still ridding themselves of the bitter taste of 2013, their annus horribilis, when they were also last in the Six Nations. This year they are the leaders with Ireland with two wins from two matches, but the Tricolors have yet to play well for 40 minutes, let alone 80. They have fired only in spurts. "The squad has done enormously well to pick up two wins. We have to make the most of it," said No. 8 Louis Picamoles, the tournaments leading forward in metres made. Frances rising confidence has been crucially helped by coach Philippe Saint-Andres limited tinkering. Hes made four changes through three rounds. At the same point in 2013, hed made 10. Gatland kept his changes for this match to four, with only one in the pack where Wales was dominated in Dublin. The lack of game-time beforehand by the likes of props Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins, and captain Sam Warburton was exposed by the Irish, prompting Warburton and Jenkins to be released to play for their clubs last weekend. Rhys Webb played for Ospreys, and the display was good enough for him to be given his first test start in place of Mike Phillips, the 82-cap scrumhalf who has paid for his slow service and inattention. The Welsh regard the drubbing from Ireland as a one-off, one bad day at the office, even though they also had a bad half-day against Italy. Gatland was so ddisturbed by the effort that hes warned his team that test careers are on the line.dddddddddddd. "Hopefully, they will respond, because it is important for us in terms of not just this competition," Gatland said. "For a lot of those players theyve got to start thinking about the next 12 months and the World Cup, and if they dont play well on Friday night it could be the last time they will play for Wales. "Its an opportunity to get back on the horse." But Ireland gave France a blueprint to success. Dominate the lineouts and the breakdowns. Starve the Wales backline. Ireland scored tries from lineout mauls, and Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones acknowledged theyre difficult to defend. "Once the ball is at the back of the maul, you cant get to it, pull it down, tackle it, sack it, once its moving," Jones said. "That is why it is such a weapon. "Its most definitely a case of stopping it at source. We didnt do that. "Any team that has coded us, taken a good look at us, is going to point to it as an opportunity. Its in the armoury of almost every team in the French league, and that is not going to change on Friday night." Wales just needs to be itself, walk with a strut, North said. "Its important to remember that we proved last year that defeat doesnt mean its all lost," North said. "We have a lot to play for." ------ Lineups: Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, George North, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams, Rhys Priestland, Rhys Webb; Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton (captain), Dan Lydiate, Alun-Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Adam Jones, Richard Hibbard, Gethin Jenkins. Reserves: Ken Owens, Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Jake Ball, Justin Tipuric, Mike Phillips, Dan Biggar, James Hook. France: Brice Dulin, Yoann Huget, Mathieu Bastareaud, Wesley Fofana, Hugo Bonneval, Jules Plisson, Jean-Marc Doussain; Louis Picamoles, Wenceslas Lauret, Yannick Nyanga, Pascal Pape (captain), Yoann Maestri, Nicolas Mas, Dimitri Szarzewski, Thomas Domingo. Reserves: Brice Mach, Yannick Forestier, Vincent Debaty, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Damien Chouly, Maxime Machenaud, Remi Tales, Gael Fickou. ' ' '