The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their hot hitting against the Washington Nationals with a four-home run game as they clinched a series victory with a 9-4 win.
Facing their former prospect, Josiah Gray, the Dodgers jumped out to an early lead when Trea Turner, one of the players the right-hander was traded for, hit a two-run home run to drive in Freddie Freeman and put L.A. up 2-0 in the first inning.
However, the Nationals answered with three runs in the first inning off Walker Buehler, thanks to RBI from Juan Soto, Nelson Cruz and Josh Bell.
But in the second inning, the Dodgers re-took the lead on a two-run home run from Mookie Betts to go up 5-3 and they never looked back.
Start us off, Trea! #AlwaysLA pic.twitter.com/I5G4dxcLWj
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 24, 2022
Back in front courtesy of Mookie! 🤙#Dodgers pic.twitter.com/LRj6LTe24g
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) May 24, 2022
Additionally, that marked Betts’ 12th consecutive game with a run scored, which tied the L.A. Dodgers franchise record that had only been held by Rafael Furcal, who accomplished the feat in 2010.
Willie Keeler holds the all-time Dodgers franchise record with a run scored in 14 consecutive games.
Chris Taylor, who finished his day 2-for-5, added a two-run home run in the third inning to put L.A. up by four.
Facing another former Dodgers farmhand in Víctor Arano, Betts added another home run to put the Dodgers up 8-3.
That gave Betts a National League-best 12 home runs this season and his 18th career game with at least two long balls out of the leadoff spot. That’s tied with George Spring for second-most in MLB history, just behind Alfonso Soriano’s 19 career multi-home run games as a leadoff hitter.
The Dodgers added another run in the ninth when Max Muncy walked with the bases loaded, and the Nationals scored when Cruz singled to drive in former Dodgers second baseman Dee Strange-Gordon in the eighth inning.
Buehler still searching for consistency
Buehler pitched six innings and picked up his sixth win of the season, but the Dodgers’ ace is still looking to find his dominant fastball he has relied on so often in previous seasons.
The right-hander only allowed two earned runs, and three total, but he struck out just three batters while adding two walks and giving up six hits.
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