Cole Kalhoun broke out of a slump and finished with his first career multi-home run game, but Max Muncy delivered for the Los Angeles Dodgers both early and late in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The one-run game was the fourth such meeting in this year’s Freeway Series, with the clubs splitting those contests.
Muncy provided early run support for Walker Buehler in his return from the 10-day disabled list by launching a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. The homer created more separation for the team lead, with Muncy now at 22 compared to Cody Bellinger’s 17.
The Dodgers were in prime position to pad their lead as Matt Kemp walked, Bellinger doubled, and Yasmani Grandal walked to load the bases. But Felix Peña escaped the jam by inducing Chris Taylor into an inning-ending double play.
Peña then stranded a Kiké Hernandez one-out double in the second inning, and held the Dodgers to just the one run in four innings. He offset three walks by notching five strikeouts.
Squandered opportunities were shaping up to prove costly until the Dodgers broke through in the seventh inning. Logan Forsythe led off with a pinch-hit single, which was followed by a Joc Pederson double.
Muncy didn’t deliver another home run but he did drop a two-run single into right-center field that gave the Dodgers a decided lead.
Buehler’s return was nearly spoiled by Calhoun, who otherwise had been in a rut. Calhoun entered play batting .180 and had six home runs on the season. His first blast came in the third inning and tied the game. Calhoun’s second solo homer gave the Angels a lead in the fifth inning.
The two runs were all Buehler allowed over his five innings of work. He stranded runners at the corners in the first inning, left Ian Kinsler in scoring position in the second, and again left runners at first and third in the third inning.
Caleb Ferguson backed his fellow rookie by retiring all six batters faced, including half by strikeout. Erik Goeddel worked through the heart of the Angels’ lineup to toss a scoreless eighth inning, and Scott Alexander shut the door in the ninth after allowing a one-out double to pinch-hitter Shohei Ohtani followed by an infield single.
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