Field Level Media
May 27, 2018
Rookie Walker Buehler gave up one run over seven innings Sunday as the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 6-1 victory over the visiting San Diego Padres to win three consecutive series for the first time this season.
Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger each hit two-run home runs in the eighth inning as the Dodgers turned a one-run lead into a comfortable victory. Muncy's home run was his sixth, while Bellinger delivered his eighth.
The surging Dodgers have now won eight of their past 10 games and have followed a three-game sweep at Washington with series victories at home over the Rockies and Padres.
The Dodgers are now 6-3 against the Padres this season, with Buehler winning two of those. He also started the Dodgers' combined no-hitter at Monterrey, Mexico, on May 4 and has given up one run on four hits over 13 innings against the Padres this season.
Buehler (3-1) had eight strikeouts Sunday, the same number he had on May 4 against the Padres. It was his third eight-strikeout game in seven career starts.
San Diego threw its bullpen at the Dodgers in the series finale, starting with left-hander Matt Strahm, who delivered two scoreless innings. Adam Cimber (2-2) followed, giving up two runs over two innings. Lefty Tyler Webb gave up the home runs to left-handed hitters Muncy and Bellinger.
The Dodgers scored first in a two-run third inning, avoiding a triple play in the process. With runners on first and third and no outs, Justin Turner hit a hard grounder to Padres third baseman Christian Villanueva. The Padres turned the double play, as Chris Taylor raced home from third base, just beating the throw to the plate from first baseman Eric Hosmer.
The Dodgers had scored their first run earlier in the inning on an RBI single from Enrique Hernandez.
The Padres broke through in the fifth inning against Buehler. Freddy Galvis hit a leadoff double to right field and went to third on a wild pitch. Raffy Lopez followed with a sacrifice fly that sent left fielder Matt Kemp crashing into the short wall in the corner.
--Field Level Media