Ozuna's Home Run Robbery Not Enough To Win
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MIAMI (AP) — Justin Turner homered and singled to increase his batting average to .374, and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to nine games Sunday by beating the Miami Marlins 3-2.
Five Los Angeles pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts with no walks. Kenley Jansen got the final four outs for his 23rd save in as many chances.
The Dodgers (64-29) climbed 35 games above .500 for the first time since 1977 by completing their 11th sweep of the year, most in the majors. They've won 29 of their past 33 games and have the best record in the big leagues.
They also have the franchise's best record through 93 games since 1955.
Turner hit his 11th homer in the first inning, added a sacrifice fly in the third and reached on an infield single in the fifth. He was sidelined for three weeks early in the season by a hamstring injury, but entered the game on the verge of qualifying for the NL batting race, which he would lead.
The Dodgers had all three Marlins outfielders leaping for balls at the wall, and only Turner cleared it. Marcell Ozuna jumped high above the 7-foot wall in left field to rob Kike Hernandez of a home run, and Christian Yelich leaped at the wall in center to steal an extra-base hit from Logan Forsythe.
But Giancarlo Stanton lost his glove over the 8½-foot wall in right field trying unsuccessfully to catch a triple by Chris Taylor. When Stanton made a running leap and stretched his left arm above the wall, the glove came off and fell to the other side.
Taylor scored on a single by Austin Barnes.
Rich Hill (6-4) wasn't quite as good as the previous time he faced Miami in September 2016, when he threw seven perfect innings before being pulled because he had been sidelined earlier in the year by a blister. This time he allowed one run and struck out nine in five innings.
Jansen struck out pinch hitter Justin Bour with two on to end the eighth, and followed that with a perfect ninth to lower his ERA to 0.90.
The three-game sweep was the Dodgers' first in Miami since 2008. They didn't even need ace Clayton Kershaw, who makes his first start since the All-Star break Tuesday at the White Sox.
Los Angeles won six of seven games from the Marlins this year.
It was that rare game where neither starter exceeded 90 mph. Chris O'Grady (1-1), making his second career start, allowed three runs in five innings.
One Dodger who struggled against O'Grady was Cody Bellinger. Less than 24 hours after hitting for the cycle, Bellinger went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against the left-hander.
Right fielder Yasiel Puig, batting .164 against left-handers this year, was among the regulars held out of the Dodgers' starting lineup.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez (lower back) is likely a couple of weeks away from beginning a rehab assignment, manager Dave Roberts said. Gonzalez took 60 swings on the side Sunday, but has yet to take batting practice or run the bases.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: After a day off, the Dodgers will open a two-game series Tuesday at the White Sox with All-Star LHP Kershaw (14-2, 2.18) scheduled to face RHP Miguel Gonzalez (4-8, 5.15). Kershaw is unbeaten in his past 13 starts despite allowing 18 homers this year, and he's unimpressed by the barrage of long balls around the majors.
"Everybody's asking, 'Is the ball juiced? Is it the era for home runs?'" Kershaw said. "But there are still a lot of guys not giving up home runs. There are a lot of guys pitching really well. To me it's not that big a deal. Offense is what people like to see; it's exciting. But I think pitching will still win out in the end."
Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (1-4, 8.00) is scheduled to start Monday against Philadelphia's Jerad Eickhoff (1-7, 4.63).
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