After the Los Angeles Dodgers snapped a five-game losing streak, manager Dave Roberts asserted his lineup, specifically Matt Kemp, Manny Machado and Max Muncy, were poised for success. They lived up to that billing by hitting five home runs in a 11-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.
Yasmani Grandal opened the scoring for the Dodgers, slugging a solo home run off Wade LeBlanc to break a scoreless tie in the third inning. Machado extended the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0 with his first of two home runs on the night, and Muncy added a two-run shot later in the inning.
Cody Bellinger continued with his torrid pace in August by lining an RBI single into center field in the fifth inning. Christian Bergman replaced LeBlanc at that point and was let down by his defense.
Kemp’s slicing fly ball to the corner in right field skimmed off Mitch Haniger’s glove, resulting in a run scoring on the two-base error. Kiké Hernandez added a sacrifice fly before Bergman managed to get out of the inning.
Bergman’s troubles were only beginning there, however, as he was stung by the long ball in the seventh inning. Machado clobbered a 3-0 pitch for a home run to center field, and Kemp made it a second two-run home run of the inning by also taking Bergman over the fence in center.
The multi-home run game was Machado’s first with Los Angeles and first since July 10. Meanwhile, the homer was Kemp’s 200th in his career with the Dodgers. The five home runs as a team marked a sixth such occurrence this season, and they improved to 20-0 when slugging at least three homers.
Walker Buehler used the run support to remain on the attack over his six innings of work. He allowed a single in each of the first two innings but also recorded four strikeouts during that span.
An error on Brian Dozier and consecutive walks allowed the Mariners to load the bases with one out in the third inning. However, Buehler induced a force out at the plate and retired Kyle Seager to escape the jam.
His bid for a shutout was broken up when Ryon Healy led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run that trimmed the Dodgers’ lead to 4-1. But that also marked a stretch of Buehler finishing his night of work by retiring nine batters in a row, including four by strike out.
He allowed just the one run on three hits and two walks, and for the fifth time had a season-high eight strikeouts.
Provided a comfortable lead for the first time in eight games since Kenley Jansen became unavailable due to heart trouble, the Dodgers bullpen effectively finished a game out.
Dylan Floro retired the side in order in the seventh inning, Zac Rosscup stranded a two-out single in the eighth and remained in the game to work a clean ninth.
