The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t arrive at their hotel until after 3 a.m. Friday morning, but they hardly looked the part of a lethargic team in the series opener against the New York Mets.
Chris Taylor provided an early spark by leading off the game with a solo home run on a full count and ninth pitch of the at-bat after falling behind to Jacob deGrom, 0-2. Yasiel Puig then took a hanging curveball and deposited it into the left-center field stands.
The home run was Puig’s 20th this season, which is a new career high. It surpassed the mark he set as a rookie in 2013. Puig hit a combined 22 home runs, split evenly, in 2015 and 2016.
With deGrom no longer in the game and the Dodgers holding a 3-0 lead, Chase Utley took left-handed Mets reliever Josh Smoker to the upper deck in right field for a two-run shot.
Utley’s blast quieted the crowd at Citi Field that showered him with boos during pregame interviews and in each of his trips to the plate. The home run was Utley’s 39th of his career against the Mets, which is tied for eighth all-time.
The Dodgers’ three home runs gave them 18 in five games against the Mets this season. While they were extending the lead, Yu Darvish dazzled in his debut with the team.
Darvish allowed the first two of three batters faced to reach, then limited the Mets to a 2-for-22 stretch. He went seven shutout innings, complete with 10 strikeouts, and put an exclamation point on his performance by striking out the side.
According to Elias Sports, Darvish became the first Dodgers pitcher since 1900 with at least 10 strikeouts and no more than one walk in his first start with the team. With their 6-0 win, Los Angeles improved to 42-7 since June 7.
