Dodgers Hold Off Mets 3-2 To Extend Win Streak To Eight
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Walker Buehler pitched two-run ball into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 3-2 Friday night for their eighth straight win.
Buehler (13-2) struck out eight and allowed six hits over 7 2/3 innings as Los Angeles improved to 5-0 against the Mets over the past eight days, including a three-game sweep in New York last weekend.
Trea Turner had two hits and two runs. It was the fourth multi-hit game for Turner over his last five starts.
Pete Alonso hit his 27th home run and had an RBI infield single in the eighth, but the Mets lost for the seventh time in their last eight games. The rough spell has come at the start of a 13-game stretch against the San Francisco Giants and Dodgers, the teams with the two best records in baseball.
The Dodgers got off to a fast start as Turner doubled before going to third base on a fly ball from Max Muncy. He scored on Justin Turner's groundout to shortstop three batters into the game.
Trea Turner started another Dodgers scoring opportunity in the third inning. His one-out single to center was followed by Muncy's RBI double to right. After Justin Turner walked, Corey Seager rolled an RBI single to center for a 3-0 advantage.
Buehler had given up just a single while hitting a batter through the first three innings before Alonso ripped a line-drive home run to right-center to cut the Dodgers' advantage to 3-1.
The Mets closed within a run in the eighth. Patrick Mazeika led off with a single against Buehler and Brandon Nimmo followed with a one-out single. The runners moved to second and third on Buehler's wild pitch before Jeff McNeil struck out looking on a pitch that appeared to be inside.
Mazeika was able to score and cut the deficit to 3-2 on a slow dribbler halfway down the third-base line by Alonso. Buehler was removed from the game by manager Dave Roberts and was ejected from the game by home-plate umpire Nestor Ceja as he left the field.
After Michael Conforto walked to load the bases against Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia, the left-hander struck out J.D. Davis looking to end the threat.
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 26th save.
Buehler gave up six hits with no walks and eight strikeouts, ending his run of allowing one run or less at five consecutive starts. Buehler's only two loses this season have come when the Dodgers failed to score a run, including a game on June 24 when four Chicago Cubs pitchers combined on a no-hitter.
Mets starter Carlos Carrasco (0-2) gave up three runs on five hits over five innings with one walk and six strikeouts. It was a vast improvement on his start against the Dodgers on Sunday night when he gave up six runs and three home runs in just two innings of work.
The Dodgers also have won 12 of their last 13 as they try to keep pace with the first-place Giants.
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