Mookie Betts and Jason Heyward combined for six RBI as they were instrumental in leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
Hours removed from officially being named a 2023 Home Run Derby participant, Betts provided immediate fireworks. He tied a Dodgers franchise record with nine leadoff home runs in a single season, with the blast marking the start of a big night.
That also gave Betts 45 career leadoff home runs as he broke a tie with Brady Anderson to take sole possession of eighth place all-time in MLB history.
Betts slugged another long ball in the third inning to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0. Betts has the most multi-home run games from the leadoff spot in MLB history with 23. George Springer is second with 19 games of at least two home runs as a leadoff hitter.
Is Mookie ready for the Derby? You tell us. pic.twitter.com/AO6PxDB8qR
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 1, 2023
Second homer of the night? Mookie's in his bag. pic.twitter.com/BLrVd3efro
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 1, 2023
Jason Heyward's OPS is up to .842 on the year after this RBI double. pic.twitter.com/zhqgzEmCbO
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 1, 2023
Welcome back, Daniel Hudson! pic.twitter.com/gEDwgTHS9G
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 1, 2023
While Betts went 4-for-4 with two walks, the two homers and four RBI, Heyward contributed to the Dodgers padding their lead at multiple points in the game.
He delivered an RBI double in the fourth inning and drove in another with a base hit in the seventh. Heyward tied a season high with three hits for a second consecutive game.
Hudson returns to Dodgers bullpen
After Bobby Miller allowed three runs over 5.2 innings, the Dodgers bullpen followed him with scoreless work to finish out the win. Caleb Ferguson was first to appear, and he was followed by Yency Almonte.
Then Daniel Hudson pitched the eighth inning in what was his first Major League game since May 24, 2022. Hudson allowed an infield single and struck out two batters.
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