Dodgers open the floodgates in blowout win over Cardinals

LOS ANGELES -- After eight straight games decided by two runs or less, the Dodgers found themselves on the right side of a laugher on Saturday, drubbing the Cardinals 9-1 at Dodger Stadium.

Every starting position player for the Dodgers had a hit by the second inning, two productive frames that were quite different.

In the first inning the Cardinals took the baton as the team to play poorly defensively. Infield singles by Yasiel Puig - on a drop by first baseman Matt Adams - and Hanley Ramirez put a pair of runners on with one out. Adrian Gonzalez hit what would have been an inning-ending double play by after receiving the throw at second base, shortstop Daniel Descalso dropped the transfer, allowing Puig to score.

In the second inning the runs came much easier for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, which including run-scoring doubles by Justin Turner, A.J. Ellis, Dee Gordon and Andre Ethier. Gonzalez and Matt Kemp added RBI singles in what was a six-run inning, the highest-scoring inning for the Dodgers all year, and it ended Lance Lynn's day much earlier than he planned.

Gordon hit doubles in the second and third innings, but was quite close to adding to his major-league-leading total of nine triples in both cases. His second inning double was over the head of Allen Craig in right field, but bounced into the pavilion for a ground rule double. His third inning double was hit over the head of Matt Holliday in left field, and Gordon had an excellent chance to take third were it not for Zack Greinke still on base ahead of him.

A huge cushion allowed Greinke the freedom to pound the strike zone all day, and he struck out 10 and walked none. It was Greinke's second game of double-digit strikeouts and no walks this season; the only other Dodgers pitcher with such a game this season was Clayton Kershaw in his no-hitter on June 18.

The only tally against Greinke was a solo home run by Matt Carpenter in the third inning. Greinke allowed just four hits in his seven innings of work to win his 10th game of the season. Greinke on the season has 111 strikeouts against just 20 walks.

Notes

Dodgers starting pitchers have walked two or fewer batters in 32 straight games, the longest streak by a National League club dating back to at least 1914 per STATS LLC.

Gordon was 3-for-5 and is 11-for-17 (.647) in his last four games.

Puig scored two runs in a game for the first time since May 31.

Ramirez before he left after two innings extended his hitting streak to 11 games, hitting .378 (14-for-37) during the streak. Ramirez left with left calf tightness.

Gonzalez has driven in a run in eight of his last 10 games, with nine RBI during that span.

Kemp hit .248/.306/.418 with 15 RBI in 47 games in April and May combined. In June he is hitting .309/.365/.511 with 15 RBI in 26 games in June.

Ethier's double was his 11th of the season and his first extra-base hit since June 10.

Turner is hitting .400/.468/.545 in June.

The double for Ellis was his first extra-base hit since returning from the disabled list on June 13. He was 2-for-4 and raised his on-base percentage on the season to .393.

Saturday particulars

Home run: Matt Carpenter (4)

WP - Zack Greinke (10-4): 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 run, 10 strikeouts

LP - Lance Lynn (8-6): 2 IP, 9 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts