The Los Angeles Dodgers went on a home-run heater late in Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants to capture the win.
The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their series against the San Francisco Giants with an 8-2 win that featured four home runs in the eighth inning on Friday at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.
The win is the Dodgers’ fourth in the last five games as they continue to chase the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in baseball.
Taking over late
Early in the game, the Dodgers struck first when Mookie Betts hit a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first to get things going.
However, the Giants did not stand still. Despite being an inferior team without one of its best players, Rafael Devers, San Francisco responded.
In the top of the second, the Giants notched a leadoff home run of their own thanks to Jung Hoo Lee, who took Tyler Glasnow deep to right field to tie the game. Then, after Glasnow got through the rest of the second unscathed, he gave up an RBI single in the third inning that put San Francisco ahead 2-1.
Luckily for Los Angeles, those were Glasnow’s only real blemishes in an otherwise dominant 10-strikeout performance over six innings. Over that span, he allowed just three hits, two earned runs, and two walks, improving his season record to 5-1.
While Glasnow was working to keep the Giants at bay, the Dodgers were getting back in the game. In the bottom of the fifth, Teoscar Hernandez hit an RBI single that tied things up, and rookie Josue De Paula hit an RBI double to give Los Angeles the lead.
Following a scoreless seventh inning by both clubs, the Dodgers took over in emphatic fashion in the bottom of the eighth.
Max Muncy opened the frame with a solo home run, and Kyle Tucker followed up with a solo homer of his own. But Los Angeles was not done yet, as Mookie Betts hit a two-run shot to left-center field, marking his second home run of the night and his 22nd of the season.
Finally, Will Smith capped off the long ball fest with a solo home run of his own to center field. By the end of the inning, the Dodgers had scored five runs on four homers to take a commanding 8-2 lead to the finish line.
Where they stand
With the win, the Dodgers are now just two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for not just the best record in the National League, but the best record in the sport.
Just eight games remain for both clubs, and it will be interesting to see if Los Angeles can finally jump the club that has been in the lead for quite some time now.
