What had largely been a dormant Los Angeles Dodgers offense through the first three games of the series erupted for seven home runs on Thursday night in a 21-5 thrashing of the Milwaukee Brewers. Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig each hit two home runs, and the 21 runs scored set a Dodger Stadium record.
Pederson began the home run barrage with a leadoff shot in the bottom of the first inning to pull the Dodgers even with the Brewers. Milwaukee then came undone in the third when a fielding error put Pederson on base, and a throwing error allowed him to score from first base on Manny Machado’s single to center field.
A hit by pitch and walk set the table for Cody Bellinger, whose skyscraper down the right-field line clanked off the foul pole. The grand slam was Bellinger’s second of the season and third in his career.
Puig then ambushed the first pitch he saw from Jhoulys Chacin for a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. Of the five hits the right-hander allowed over 4.1 innings, three were homers.
Brewers reliever Matt Albers didn’t fare much better as he inherited two baserunners in the fifth and promptly surrendered a home run to Brian Dozier. The three-run blast was Dozier’s second home run in as many games with the Dodgers.
Fresh off the 10-day disabled list, Justin Turner hit a two-run shot to center field in the sixth inning that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 12-2. Pederson delivered a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh that coerced the Brewers into using a position player on the mound.
The Dodgers proceeded to tee off on Hernan Perez, pushing across six more runs, including two on Puig’s second home run of the night. Their nine runs set a season high for most in an inning.
The offensive production provided a cushion for Clayton Kershaw, who was hardly sharp and labored at various points but still managed to complete six innings.
Christian Yelich continued to be a thorn in his side, going 2-for-3 with a double, strikeout and home run in their duels. Yelich’s double came in the first inning and led to a run as he scored because Kershaw uncorked two wild pitches.
Milwaukee threatened again in the third inning, behind Chacin’s leadoff double and a Lorenzo Cain base hit. However, Kershaw struck out Yelich, induced a soft lineout and picked up another strikeout to work out of the jam.
He also stranded a pair of runners in the fourth inning. Erik Goeddel allowed a three-run homer to Jesus Aguilar in the seventh but the Dodgers bullpen otherwise turned in scoreless work.
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