The Los Angeles Dodgers began perhaps their biggest series of the season on Monday night, hosting the Colorado Rockies for three games at Dodger Stadium with just a half-game separating the two teams atop the National League West standings.
The Dodgers came out swinging and rode the early momentum to an 8-2 victory to move back into first place with just 11 games to play.
Joc Pederson got the scoring early for the Dodgers as he launched a leadoff home run to left field off Rockies starter Jon Gray.
Pederson has a monster day at the plate, doubling to begin the third, and then launching his second home run of the night, a two-run shot in the fourth to give him 23 total on the season.
The second homer was off a lefty, marking the first time Pederson has taken a southpaw deep this season. The multi-home run game was the eighth of his career and fourth such performance in 2018.
Max Muncy also had a big day at the dish for Los Angeles as he hit a three-run shot off Gray in the third inning to break the game open. Muncy, who spent all of 2017 and the beginning of this season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, leads the Dodgers with 33 home runs and a .965 on-base plus slugging percentage.
Justin Turner continued his torrid offensive pace, going 2-for-3 with a walk. He has now reached base safely in 81 of his last 162 plate appearances, good for a .500 on-base percentage.
All the runs that the Dodgers scored were in support of starter Hyun-Jin Ryu, who turned in one of his best outings of the season. Ryu had command of all of his pitches all night, working both sides of the plate.
He tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five without issuing a walk.
