Wheeler hit by liner, still gets win

LOS ANGELES — Zack Wheeler stayed in the game after getting hit in the chest by a line drive, pitching seven sharp innings to lead the New York Mets over the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 Wednesday.

Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger homered for the playoff-contending Dodgers, who lost for third time in their past 12 games. Los Angeles finished with three hits.

Wilmer Flores had a pair of RBI singles and Amed Rosario got three hits for the Mets, who went 5-4 on their road trip to Wrigley Field, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Wheeler (10-7) retired the first 11 batters before Justin Turner hit a liner in the fourth inning that struck the pitcher. The exit velocity on Turner’s ball was clocked at 91 mph.

Wheeler got a visit from the Mets’ medical staff and gave up a home run to Muncy three pitches later. Overall, he allowed three runs and three hits, striking out nine and walking two.

It was the first time Wheeler gave up more than two earned runs since July 14. He is 8-1 with a 1.86 ERA over his last 10 outings.

Flores singled home a run in the fourth and another in the fifth. Austin Jackson and Rosario also had RBI singles.

Muncy hit his 32nd home run and Bellinger connected off Wheeler for his 22nd.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-2) gave up five runs — three earned — on 11 hits over six innings with no walks and eight strikeouts. It was the second time in three starts Ryu had given up 11 hits.

In was an unsarcastically sloppy defensive game for the Dodgers as right fielder Alex Verdugo, shortstop Enrique Hernandez and second baseman Brian Dozier all had balls bounce off their gloves for hits. Catcher Yasmani Grandal dropped a throw to the plate that let another run score.

John McCoy / Associated Press New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning Wednesday in Los Angeles.