Betts, Muncy Early HRs Propel Bauer, Dodgers Over Giants, 3-2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts and Max Muncy hit back-to-back home runs to begin the first inning, leading Trevor Bauer and the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants 3-2 Monday night in a battle of the long ball.
All of the runs at Dodger Stadium came on solo shots. Will Smith also went deep for Los Angeles, which has won four straight.
The homers ended up being enough for the Dodgers, who had only two hits that didn't leave the yard and got a runner into scoring position just once.
LaMonte Wade Jr. and Brandon Crawford homered for the Giants, who saw their NL West lead over Los Angeles decrease to 2 1/2 games. San Francisco outhit the Dodgers 11-5, but left 11 runners on base and was 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Bauer (8-5) allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings. The right-hander — who has gone at least six innings in all but one of his 17 starts this season — struck out eight and walked one. Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his 19th save.
Anthony DeSclafani (8-3) saw his woes against the Dodgers continue and his four-start winning streak snapped. The right-hander yielded three runs on five hits with six strikeouts over five innings in his third start against Los Angeles this season.
DeSclafani has surrendered 15 runs in 12 1/3 innings and has a 10.95 ERA against the Dodgers this year. A big reason for the inflated ERA is the 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings on his ledger from an 11-5 loss on May 23.
DeSclafani has a 1.68 ERA in his other 13 starts, with 15 earned runs allowed in 80 1/3 innings.
Betts' homer to left-center on the third pitch was his 10th of the season. It was the first homer allowed by DeSclafani in four starts.
When Muncy followed with his 16th on a sinker with a 1-2 count, it marked the first time DeSclafani gave up a pair of homers in a game this season.
The previous time the Dodgers hit consecutive homers to start a game was on July 3, 2018.
Wade, recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, got the Giants within 2-1 when he led off the third inning with his homer. Smith ended an eight at-bat hitless streak one inning later with a drive to left-center to put the Dodgers up 3-1.
Crawford made it 3-2 in the sixth with a 444-foot shot over the wall in center, his longest-measured homer since Statcast started in 2015. The Giants shortstop is tied with Houston's Yordan Alvarez for most home runs on the road since May 1 with nine.
San Francisco's best chance to tie came in the eighth inning. It had runners on second and third with one out, but Blake Treinen struck out pinch-hitter Curt Casali and got Wade on a popup.
Mike Tauchman led off the ninth with a single and tried to advance when center fielder Cody Bellinger bobbled the ball, but was thrown out at second. Jansen fanned Buster Posey and got Alex Dickerson to ground out to end it.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Giants: 1B Brandon Belt has "minimal structure damage" to his right knee but will seek another opinion on how to progress with the injury. Manager Gabe Kapler said the team is feeling more optimistic he can rehab and avoid season-ending surgery. Belt was injured in last Wednesday's win over the Los Angeles Angels. ... RHP Logan Webb (right shoulder strain) is scheduled to pitch two innings in a rehab assignment on Thursday but it remains to be determined if that will be with Triple-A Sacramento or Double-A San Jose.
Dodgers: RHP Scott Alexander (left shoulder inflammation) is continuing his rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City and could rejoin the team during the weekend. Alexander will be eligible to be activated off the 60-day injured list on Friday.
UP NEXT
San Francisco RHP Kevin Gausman (8-1, 1.49 ERA), who has the second-lowest ERA in the NL, tossed six shutout innings in his last start against the Dodgers on May 30. He will be opposed by Los Angeles RHP Walker Buehler (7-1, 2.51), who has pitched twice against the Giants this year, going 1-0 with two earned runs allowed in 13 innings.
© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.