The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to six games and won a fourth consecutive series by defeating the San Francisco Giants, 6-3, on Saturday.
On the heels of Trevor Bauer turning in a strong pitching performance, Walker Buehler added to what’s been an impressive and consistent showing by the Dodgers’ rotation this season. Buehler also kept his streak alive of pitching at least six innings in all nine outings this year.
He allowed a baserunner in each of the first four innings, but induced a pair of double plays during that span to keep the Giants off the board.
Max Muncy spotted Buehler an early lead with a solo blast off Scott Kazmir in the first inning. It was Muncy’s third career home run to land in McCovey Cove, which tied him with Carlos Delgado and Adam LaRoche for the most by an opponent.
Austin Barnes then doubled the Dodgers’ lead with his own solo home run in the fifth inning. “His approach, his mechanics at the plate, he’s in as good of spot as I’ve seen since ’17,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the win.
Max Muncy gets things going for LA in SF! 🌊 pic.twitter.com/LkjJDjkly7
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 22, 2021
Austin Barnes registers his first homer of the year to double up the Dodgers' lead! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/nhdpdFc68x
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 23, 2021
Albert Pujols: Great player, better person 🙌 pic.twitter.com/VNqNIPEgP8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 23, 2021
The Dodgers scored two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings, which proved key as the Giants pushed across three during that same stretch. Buehler did his part to minimize the damage to one run allowed over seven innings.
Pujols surprises fan
With runners at the corners in the eighth inning, Albert Pujols fought off an inside pitch to bloop an RBI single into center field. He was then pinch-run for by Sheldon Neuse and upon walking back into the dugout, greeted a young fan seated next to it. Pujols then returned with a bat.
“Superstars, people that look up to guys like Albert, for him to reciprocate that and make a young fan’s day, year, whatever it is, it’s a treasure that person is going to have for a long time,” Roberts said. “Not a surprise.”
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