The New York Mets ambushed Rich Hill in the first inning, but the Los Angeles Dodgers returned the favor in the sixth and went on for a 7-4 win. The come-from-behind victory was the Dodgers’ 33rd this season and they improved to 43-7 since June 7, besting a 42-8 stretch from the 2013 season.
Spotted an early lead, Seth Lugo carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning. He lost it on Yasmani Grandal’s two out-double, proceeded to intentionally walk Yasiel Puig, and preserved his shutout by striking out Hill.
That went by the wayside in the sixth, however, as Lugo surrendered a leadoff home run to Chris Taylor. The homer was Taylor’s 15th this season and third in as many games. Three batters later, Cody Bellinger connected on a curveball for a game-tying, two-run homer.
Lugo gave way to Paul Sewald, who walked Logan Forsythe but retired Yasmani Grandal to end the sixth. Sewald then left a fastball over the plate to Yasiel Puig, which was lined to left field for a go-ahead home run to lead off the seventh inning.
Justin Turner’s home run off Sewald in the eighth gave the Dodgers a bit of breathing room. Corey Seager tacked on a two-run homer in the ninth that reached the upper deck in right field.
Hill’s fastball command betrayed him early, as the Mets slugged three solo home runs on that pitch in the opening frame. Miguel Conforto led off the bottom of the first with a homer on the second pitch of his at-bat.
Wilmer Flores and Curtis Granderson went back-to-back with two outs. The home run was Granderson’s second off Hill this season. Hill began to predominantly rely on his breaking ball, and it yielded positive results.
The veteran southpaw worked around a leadoff single and error that put two on with nobody out to throw a scoreless second inning. After that point Hill permitted just two baserunners (one walk, one hit) before his day came to an end at 91 pitches and five innings.
He finished with just the three early runs allowed, and eight strikeouts. It was Hill’s sixth time in his last eight starts with at least eight strikeouts.
Brandon Morrow stranded a runner at third base in the sixth, Pedro Baez threw a perfect seventh but was removed after walking Yoenis Cespedes to start the eighth inning.
In his second relief appearance with the Dodgers, Tony Watson struck out a pair and induced a tapper in front of the plate to end the inning. Seager’s blast robbed Kenley Jansen of yet another save opportunity, and instead gave Ross Stripling an opportunity to finish out the game.
He surrendered a one-out solo home run to Rene Rivera before sealing the Dodgers’ win. With their five home runs on the day, the Dodgers have now hit 23 in six meetings with the Mets this season.
