The Sports Xchange
Jul 16, 2017
MIAMI -- Justin Turner, who is hitting .374, homered and drove in two runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon at Marlins Park.
The Dodgers (64-29), who have the best record in the majors, have won 29 of their past 33 games, including nine in a row. They swept this three-game series against the Marlins (41-49).
Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill (6-4) allowed five hits, no walks and one run in five innings. It was the first time he had faced Miami since Sept. 9, when he pitched seven perfect innings.
Kenley Jansen earned a four-out save. It was his 23rd consecutive save this season, and he has pitched scoreless ball in 20 of his past 21 appearances.
Turner, who would be leading the majors in batting average if he had a few more at-bats, hit his 11th homer of the season in the first inning. He added a sacrifice fly in the third.
Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton had another adventurous day on defense. In the fourth inning, he raced back to try to catch what became a triple by Chris Taylor. Stanton crashed into the wall, and his glove came off his left hand and fell over the fence.
It was the second game in a row in which Taylor tripled to right, with Stanton crashing into the wall on both occasions.
Left-hander Chris O'Grady (1-1), who was signed by the Marlins as a minor league free agent on May 4 and promoted to the majors on July 8, took the loss. He allowed five hits, two walks and three runs in five innings.
The Dodgers raced to an early lead. After Turner's first two RBIs, Los Angeles made it 3-0 when Taylor hit his triple and scored on a single by Austin Barnes.
Miami cut its deficit to 3-1 in the fifth. Backup catcher A.J. Ellis doubled and scored from third on pinch hitter Ichiro Suzuki's infield single. Ellis, who started the day with just one extra-base hit on the season, doubled twice on Sunday.
The Dodgers nearly scored another run in the sixth, but Marcell Ozuna leaped over the seven-foot fence in left to steal a home run away from Enrique Hernandez, an ex-Marlins infielder.
Los Angeles blew a chance to add to its lead in the seventh. After loading the bases with two outs against reliever Kyle Barraclough, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was picked off second base.
The Dodgers loaded the bases again in the eighth, but Stanton ended the threat when he raced to the right-field corner and caught a long drive by pinch hitter Chase Utley.
Seager made another mistake in the eighth, bobbling a ground ball by Dee Gordon. The error led to an unearned run charged to the ledger of reliever Brandon Morrow. The run scored when Christian Yelich, facing Jansen, grounded a single to center.
Jansen ended that two-on threat by striking out pinch hitter Justin Bour on three pitches, and the closer had an easier time in a 1-2-3 ninth, extending his NL-best consecutive-save streak.
NOTES: 3B Brian Anderson, one of Miami's top prospects, was promoted one level to Triple-A New Orleans. He could be in the majors soon if the Marlins trade 3B Martin Prado. ... Miami rested three starters: C J.T. Realmuto, 1B Justin Bour and 2B Dee Gordon. ... Los Angeles also rested three starters: C Yasmani Grandal, RF Yasiel Puig and CF Joc Pederson. ... Only two players have hit for the cycle against the Marlins: Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies in 1999 and Dodgers 1B Cody Bellinger on Saturday. ... On Monday, the Marlins open a three-game series against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. ... The Dodgers on Tuesday open a two-game series at the Chicago White Sox, sending LHP Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 2.19 ERA) to the mound.