Dodgers Hit 5 Home Runs To Turn Back The Braves, 7-3
LOS ANGLES (AP) -- Walker Buehler dominated before being pulled with rib soreness, and the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame another blow to their injury-depleted pitching staff by hitting five home runs to beat the Atlanta Braves 7-3 on Friday night.
Yasmani Grandal went deep twice, and Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger also homered to help the Dodgers win their sixth in seven games despite a decimated rotation. They're already without Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dennis Santana, and now they may be without Buehler, too.
The rookie right-hander was perfect through four innings and still cruising with one out in the sixth when manager Dave Roberts and trainer Nathan Lucero went to the mound.
Los Angeles' injury woes have picked up steam the past couple days. Santana was scratched from a scheduled start in Pittsburgh on Thursday after getting injured warming up in the bullpen. Roberts had gone to the bullpen 16 times over the two games previous to Friday.
It may get worse, too: Chris Taylor pinch hit for Yasiel Puig in the sixth inning. It's unclear why that happened. Puig was picked off first in the first inning but stayed in the game after that, with no apparent sign of injury.
Pederson and Muncy hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, the fourth time this season LA has hit consecutive home runs.
Bellinger has homered in four straight games for the first time in his career.
Buehler allowed one run on two hits and struck out four. He's been sensational for a starting rotation that's desperately needed it.
Nick Markakis singled off Buehler in the fifth to break up a perfect game. Camargo later homered for the Braves.
Both of Grandal's home runs came off former teammate and batterymate Brandon McCarthy (5-3), who allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Grandal hit his 10th and 11th homers of the season. He has nine multihomer games in his career, the last six of which have come at Dodger Stadium.
Pederson homered in the sixth inning, giving him four home runs in his last four games. Pederson has just seven home runs this season, six of them in June.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: OF Ronald Acuna (knee, back) hit off a tee and was jogging in Atlanta on Friday. ... RHP Julio Teheran (right thumb bruise) is expected to start throwing in the next day or two.
Dodgers: Hill (blister) will throw a four-inning sim game Saturday. He said he expects to be activated and pitch for the Dodgers next week if all goes well. ... Santana (right rotator cuff strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. He had his right arm in a sling. ... INF Justin Turner (soreness left wrist) was not in the lineup for the third time in last four games. He was available to pinch hit Friday. He could return to the lineup Saturday but is scheduled for Sunday. ... Kershaw (back) played catch Friday ... Maeda (right hip strain) threw a bullpen of nearly 40 pitches and could be back in the rotation next week.
UP NEXT
Braves: RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 2.16) had a quality start in his last outing against Washington, allowing two runs on two hits in seven innings, but he didn't figure into the decision.
Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (1-4, 4.48) had a rough outing in his last start, giving up six runs on five hits and walking three in his last start in Colorado.
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