The Los Angeles Dodgers put on a power display against the Atlanta Braves, slugging four home runs in the first three innings en route to a 5-3 win at Dodger Stadium.
Max Muncy began the offensive barrage with a solo home run in the first inning before Will Smith followed suit by depositing a ball into the left field stands to extend the Dodgers’ lead in the bottom of the second.
L.A. continued flexing their muscles in the third as Mookie Betts led off the inning with the club’s third home run of the game. Corey Seager joined the homer parade three batters later with a two-run blast that all but solidified a victory in the series opener.
“It was great. The homers, the at-bats, taking walks when we needed to,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “I thought we did a really nice job against Smyly. Certainly to put up a couple crooked numbers and get a win was great.
“Obviously, there was also some great defensive plays. The J.T. play, the other Turner player, just really good stuff. Sound baseball.”
The Dodgers’ four home runs in the first three innings was the second time they accomplished the feat this season. They previously did so on Aug. 4 against the Houston Astros, with Betts (two), Smith and AJ Pollock providing the firepower.
It’s the first time in franchise history the club has produced two such games in a single season.
The Dodgers as a team have hit 185 home runs this year, which is tied with the Minnesota Twins for the fourth-most in all of baseball. They trail the San Francisco Giants (197), Toronto Blue Jays (194) and Braves (190).
Urias joins esteemed Dodgers pitchers
In addition to the lineup setting a new franchise record Monday, Julio Urias made some history himself by becoming just the sixth Dodgers pitcher to reach 15 wins before anyone else in a single season.
He joined a prestigious group that includes Joe McGinnity (1900), Don Newcombe (1955), Don Drysdale (1962), Sandy Koufax (1963-66) and Clayton Kershaw (2017).
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