Dodgers respond with 9-2 win over Brewers

After suffering through a road trip, and a month, when nearly everything went wrong, the Dodgers finally got a lot to go right on Wednesday. The Dodgers found their big inning, Hyun-jin Ryu returned to his dependable self, and the Dodgers beat the Brewers going away 9-2 on getaway day at Miller Park.

The Dodgers have had the fewest big innings of any team in the National League, but they broke the game open on Wednesday with a five-run second. They sent 11 men to the plate in the frame, which included five hits, two walks, and couple of misplays by middle infielders Rickie Weeks and Jean Segura. But unlike in recent days the Dodgers were able to take advantage and plate five runs in the inning.

It was just the second time this season the Dodgers have scored at least five in an inning. They scored seven runs in the fifth inning on May 4 in San Francisco. Not bad for a team that had scored five runs in a game just once in their last eight games and in three of their last 15 contests.

Nick Punto walked and singled in the second inning, the second inning this season he has reached base twice in the same inning. He also doubled and walked in the fifth inning on May 4. Punto reached base three times on the day.

The Dodgers' nine runs scored matched their season high, also on May 4 in San Francisco.

Ramon Hernandez, who played just once in the previous 20 games and for the first time since May 7, homered and reached base four times on the day with two hits and two walks. I thought Hernandez was finished and, judging by manager Don Mattingly's use of Hernandez, I wasn't alone, but no better way to snap out of an 0-for-17 slump for the backup catcher.

Ryu pitched into the eighth inning for his first time as a Dodger, with really the only blip on his radar a solo home run by Ryan Braun in the sixth inning. That capped quite a frame for Braun, who robbed Adrian Gonzalez of a home run with a catch at the wall in the top of the inning.

Ryu also allowed a run in the eighth, and on the day struck out four and walked two. and through his first 10 MLB starts has a 3.30 ERA, averaging 6.27 innings per start, with 60 strikeouts and 22 walks.

Notes

• The last Dodgers backup catcher to reach base four times in a game was Dioner Navarro, who had a single and three walks on July 23, 2011.
• Matt Kemp had two hits and a walk, reaching base three times for the first time since May 12. He also stole a base in the ninth inning, his seventh steal this season without being caught.
• Scott Van Slyke, who started in right field against a right-handed pitcher in place of Andre Ethier, doubled twice, walked and drove in a pair of runs. Van Slyke did not have a single on the road trip, but hit .333 (4-for-12) with two home runs and two doubles in his four games played, including three starts
  
• Carl Crawford went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two driven in to extend his hitting streak to a modest four games. During that span Crawford is hitting .333 (5-for-15) with three walks.
• Ronald Belisario has allowed 9 of 13 inherited runners to score this season
  

Up next

The Dodgers have Thursday off before welcoming the Cardinals to town. Chris Capuano gets the start for the Dodgers in the series opener at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, facing Lance Lynn for St. Louis. The only question is who will be managing the Dodgers?

Wednesday's particulars

Home runs: Ramon Hernandez (1); Ryan Braun (9)

WP - Hyun-jin Ryu (5-2): 7⅓ IP, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts

LP - Wily Peralta (3-5): 1⅔ IP, 7 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts