The Los Angeles Dodgers carried their hot play into a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, using three home runs to blank them, 5-0 in the opener.
Joc Pederson got the scoring started in the top of the second inning with a two-run home run off Pirates starter Joe Musgrove, plating Matt Kemp, who singled to begin the inning. Pederson took Musgrove deep twice in the World Series last year while he was a member of the Houston Astros.
So to that point, Pederson was a career 3-for-3 with three home runs off Musgrove. He later grounded out to break that streak.
The Dodgers turned to the long ball again in the top of the fourth inning when Yasiel Puig hit a solo shot to straightaway center field. The home run was Puig’s seventh on the season, with all of each coming in the 19 games since he returned from the disabled list in the middle of May.
The final home run of the night came off the bat of Cody Bellinger, which was big for him considering he only has six hits in his last 58 at-bats. This one was a solo shot to center off Pirates reliever Tyler Glasnow to tie for the team lead with nine on the season.
Ross Stripling got the start on the mound and continued his strong showing this season, tossing five shutout innings. Stripling gave up just four singles while striking out seven without allowing a walk to lower his season ERA to 1.52, which ranks third in all of baseball behind Justin Verlander and Jacob deGrom.
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