The Los Angeles Dodgers began a big three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday night and as has been the case every time they have played there since 2016, came away with a win.
In what was touted as a potential pitcher’s duel between Clayton Kershaw and Noah Syndergaard, the Dodgers wound up out 11 hits in a 9-2 victory.
The Mets took an early lead behind a solo home run by J.D. Davis in the first inning, but the Dodgers got that and more back in the fourth. Cody Bellinger started the rally with a walk and then back-to-back singles by Corey Seager and A.J. Pollock tied the game.
The big swing of the night came later in that inning off the bat of Gavin Lux. Syndergaard hung a 3-2 breaking ball and Lux made him pay with his second career home run, a three-run shot to straightaway center field.
Los Angeles added to its lead in the seventh inning on a two-run, pinch-hit double down the left-field line by Chris Taylor. Bellinger then drove in Taylor with a single up to cap off the three-run frame.
Edwin Rios also added some insurance of his own during a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the eighth by going to the opposite field for a two-run home run. The Dodgers’ rookies have been producing at a high level all season long and Lux and Rios were the most recent examples of that.
Kershaw took the mound having lost three straight starts, but he settled in nicely after the first-inning home run and wound up retiring 16 of 18 and nine straight batters at one point. He allowed four hits and two runs while striking out five and walking three in 6.1 innings to earn his 14th victory of the season.
He additionally remained undefeated in 15 career regular-season starts against the Mets, improving to 10-0 with a 2.18 ERA.
