Powerful Dodgers dominate Braves
DODGERS 8, BRAVES 3
ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Dodgers are hitting home runs at a record pace, and Manager Dave Roberts loves every minute of it.
“It makes me look really good, and it makes the Dodgers look really good,” Roberts said. “These are guys that really understand situations, what a pitcher is trying to do to them. Guys like that you want in big spots.”
Cody Bellinger hit his 41st home run, Max Muncy and Justin Turner connected against reliever Sean Newcomb in the seventh inning, and Los Angeles beat the Atlanta Braves 8-3 on Friday night in a matchup of National League division leaders.
It was nothing new for the powerful Dodgers, who set a major league mark with 22 home runs in a fivegame span when Will Smith launched a two-run shot off Jerry Blevins in the eighth.
“I think we’re a pretty complete team all around,” Muncy said. “Obviously the home runs are what you notice, but look at what happens before the home runs.”
Los Angeles continued to dominate the Braves, too. The Dodgers improved to 18-6 against Atlanta since 2016, using Muncy’s threerun home run and Turner’s solo shot to lead 6-3 after Newcomb replaced starter Mike Soroka.
Los Angeles led 1-0 in the second when Bellinger crushed a home run to right-center, his fourth in five games to take the NL lead. He began the night tied with Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout for most in the majors.
The NL East-leading Braves pounced on Kenta Maeda in the bottom half, going ahead 3-1 on Matt Joyce’s two-run double and Ronald Acuna Jr.’s hard RBI single to left-center.
Maeda avoided further trouble when Freddie Freeman lined out with the bases loaded. The righthander struck out seven consecutive before Josh Donaldson singled with two outs in the fifth.
Adam Kolarek (5-3), who replaced Maeda and pitched 11/3 hitless innings, got the victory. Julio Urías worked three scoreless innings for his fourth save.
The two-time defending NL champion Dodgers, who eliminated the Braves from the postseason last year and swept them at home in May, got a run back in the third off Soroka on Joc Pederson’s RBI single.
Soroka has gone six consecutive starts without a victory, but was in line for his 11th when Newcomb (53) replaced him with two outs in the seventh. Soroka allowed three runs and seven hits. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth when Edwin Rios grounded into a double play.
But the Atlanta bullpen settled into its familiar role of falling apart this month. Newcomb set the tone by walking the first batter he faced.
Muncy’s 30th home run sailed into the seats in right-center as the sellout crowd moaned. He said he figured Newcomb would come back with a slider after starting him off with two breaking balls and a fastball.
“It kind of popped out of his hand a little bit,” Muncy said. “He didn’t throw it where he wanted to and I was able to put the barrel to it.”
PIRATES 3, CUBS 2 Pinch-hitter Cole Tucker drew a bases-loaded walk and Kevin Newman hit an RBI single, all with two out in the ninth inning, as host Pittsburgh rallied to beat Chicago. Tucker, pinch-hitting, worked a bases-loaded walk off Brandon Kintzler (2-2), and Newman followed with a single to center field on a full-count for his third game-ending hit of the season.
NATIONALS 2, BREWERS 1 Anthony Rendon hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning, and Washington beat visiting Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game series between National League playoff contenders. Rendon, who drove in Washington’s first run on a double in the third, is hitting .354 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI in 34 games since July 6.
PHILLIES 8, PADRES 4 Bryce Harper homered
for the third consecutive game, Roman Quinn and J.T. Realmuto also went deep, and host Philadelphia’s resurgent offense remained red-hot in a victory over San Diego. The Phillies had 12 hits, and tied their season-high winning streak at four in a row.
CARDINALS 13, REDS 4 Dexter Fowler hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs, Paul DeJong and Paul Goldschmidt added two-run shots, and visiting St. Louis rocked Luis Castillo on the way to a romp over Cincinnati. Kolten Wong had a solo home run among his four hits and Fowler, Marcell Ozuna and Tommy Edman each had three.
ROCKIES 3, MARLINS 0 Jon Gray struck out seven in eight strong innings and Nolan Arenado and Ryan McMahon homered for the second consecutive game, leading host Colorado to a victory over Miami. Gray scattered five hits and didn’t walk a batter in his best outing of the season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 3, INDIANS 2 Masahiro Tanaka pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Aaron Judge broke out of his slump with two hits and two runs, and New York rebounded from its worst home loss of the season with a victory over visiting Cleveland. New York (82-42) clinched its 27th consecutive winning record since 1993.
BLUE JAYS 7, MARINERS 3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk hit back-toback home runs, Jacob Waguespack won his third consecutive decision and host Toronto beat Seattle. Derek Fisher and Danny Jansen also went deep for the Blue Jays, who have hit 110 home runs since June 16.
RED SOX 9, ORIOLES 1 Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Mitch Moreland each hit RBI triples in the fourth inning, Rick Porcello held the Orioles to one run over six innings, and Boston topped visiting Baltimore. \
TIGERS 2, RAYS 0 Daniel Norris, Drew VerHagen and Joe Jimenez combined on a five-hitter to outpitch Charlie Morton, and Detroit beat host Tampa Bay. Norris went the first three innings, VerHagen pitched five and Jimenez earned his seventh save by striking out Eric Sogard with two men on base to end the game.
TWINS 4, RANGERS 3 Max Kepler and Jonathan Schoop hit two-run home runs to lead visiting Minnesota to a victory over Texas. The Twins lead the major leagues with 238 home runs and are on pace to break the big-league record of 267 set last season by the New York Yankees.
INTERLEAGUE
ROYALS 4, METS 1 Mike Montgomery outpitched Noah Syndergaard, and host Kansas City ended its scoreless drought in a victory over sluggish New York.