Red-hot Dodgers complete four-game sweep of struggling Mets

Los Angeles — The heat took away the heaviness in the air. The opponent is just struggling.

Oh, and there's that one other thing:

"We're probably the hottest team in baseball right now," the Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernandez said.

Tough to argue that, especially with the way they're swinging the bats. Joc Pederson hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh and Los Angeles used the long ball again to power past the New York Mets 6-3 on Thursday night and complete a four-game sweep.

Justin Turner and Hernandez also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who had a club-record 15 in the series. It is also the most the Mets have allowed in a four-game series.

"That's stunning," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "That's a stunning number. There were a lot of nights I've been at Dodgers Stadium where the ball at night doesn't fly. It flew out of here this series like nothing."

After Pederson's homer off Paul Sewald (0-2), Los Angeles scored twice more in the inning on bases-loaded walks by Jerry Blevins including one to reliever Pedro Baez (1-0) in just his third career plate appearance. "I was just bad today," Blevins said. "That happens sometimes. Sometimes you stink."

The Dodgers have won seven consecutive games and 13 of their last 14. Kenley Jansen pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and got the final four outs for his 16th save. It was his sixth four-out save of the season.

"The thing we're so excited about is everyone is making a contribution," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers not only had another three home runs, they drew nine walks from three different New York pitchers.

"When guy after guy is taking a quality at-bat, and not necessarily hitting a homer but getting on base, taking walks, moving runners, doing things the right way — that's when you have success in breaking down starting pitchers and getting into teams' bullpens," Turner said. "And that's what we want to try to do every night."

Curtis Granderson and Travis d'Arnaud homered for the Mets, who have lost seven of their last eight and are a season-worst 10 games under .500 at 31-41.

Mets starter Steven Matz held the Dodgers without a hit until Turner's solo homer with two outs in the third. Cody Bellinger followed with a ground-rule double and Hernandez hit a two-run homer. They were the only hits Matz allowed in six innings. In his third start of the season, Matz allowed three runs, struck out eight and walked five.

"They had a red-hot series and they're really aggressive right now," Matz said.

Frustrated Mets

The home runs, the walks, the poor overall pitching, the four consecutive losses. It was one rough series for the Mets. Said Collins: "Walks and home runs have killed us. That's one thing we have never done here in years. We don't walk guys and we don't give up a lot of home runs. And right now we're doing both."