The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to four games with a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday, receiving home runs from Kiké Hernández, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith.
Hernández led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer against Slade Cecconi. Freeman had the biggest blast with his sixth career grand slam, and Smith followed him by hitting a solo home run to cap off the six-run inning.
For Freeman, he is having another All-Star caliber season despite seeing a small decline in his power numbers. “Okay. Yeah, feels like I’ve been treading water all year, but still look at the numbers and they’re okay,” Freeman answered when asked how he is feeling at the plate.
“So just kind of waiting for the really, really hot streak, but ultimately my swing has been feeling a little bit better. Like today, both balls kind of up the middle. Even the don’t play against me, sinker in, I was able to stay inside of it.
“So even though it’s an out, there’s little wins inside those that create things later in the game. So feeling a little bit better at the plate.”
Freeman went through a stretch in April where his on-base plus slugging dipped below .750. Since then, he is starting to look more like his usual self at the plate.
“Even-keel, I never kind of waver,” Freeman said when asked if he has been frustrated with his performance this year. “It’s a long season. I don’t ride the roller coasters. I try to keep the straight roller coasters all the time.
“So I just stick with my routine. Just trying to do the same thing every day and just know that it’s going to work at some point.”
Freeman’s grand slam was his third since last season, which trails only Jazz Chisholm Jr., Royce Lewis and Dodgers teammate Max Muncy for the most in baseball over that stretch.
“Yes, it’s just nice,” Freeman said. “When there’s guys in scoring position, you want to be able to drive them in. Not looking for the grand slam, just trying to keep the line moving, get a base it there, and ultimately able to hit it out.”
Dave Roberts agrees with Freddie Freeman
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts agreed with the notion that Freeman has been steady this season but is still waiting for his first true hot streak.
“Absolutely. I think the thing about Freddie is the consistent way he goes about things. Good or bad, he shows up and he competes every day,” Roberts said.
“And so you know that every night, he’s going to give me four or five good at-bats. And when he’s not going well, because this year, he hasn’t really got a hot streak yet, to his to what he said, but he’s still managing to really be a very productive hitter.
“And so tonight was a really good night for him. I know he felt good to drive in four runs. But even a guy that’s searching, as he has been, he’s still an elite hitter.”
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