Adrian Gonzalez heating up for Dodgers

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez drove in the Dodgers' first two runs on Friday night against the Brewers, continuing his hot streak since the All-Star break.

Gonzalez was 3-for-3 with a walk and a home run, a no-doubter to left center field that pulled the Dodgers to within 2-1 at the time. Earlier in the game Gonzalez doubled, and that he hit it to left field was a good sign, as Gonzalez is usually at his best when he's driving the ball to all fields with authority. That double was pretty close to a home run:

Game of inches. pic.twitter.com/Ix590dx5oN

— Daniel Brim (@DanielBrim) August 9, 2014

He was hitting the ball hard everywhere in April, hitting .317/.377/.644 with eight home runs, though at the time he insisted, "I'm not a power hitter," usually with a smirk or some hint of sarcasm.

The problem was for the next 2½ months Gonzalez did his best to prove it, hitting only six home runs while batting .223/.286/.343 with six home runs in 67 games from May 1 through the All-Star break.

But since the All-Star break Gonzalez has been hot, hitting .333/.402/.528 with two home runs, eight doubles and 16 RBI in 20 games, with eight multi-hit games.

Gonzalez has 76 runs batted in on the season, just one behind Giancarlo Stanton for the National League lead. Gonzalez has a decent chance at joining Tommy Davis (1962) and Matt Kemp (2011) as the only Los Angeles Dodgers to lead the NL in RBI.

Stanton is on pace for 108 RBI, which would be the lowest total for a league leader since Gary Carter and Mike Schmidt tied for the NL lead with 106 RBI in 1984. Even the strike-shortened seasons in 1994 and 1995 had more prolific RBI men.

Dating back to Thursday, Gonzalez has reached base in each of his last six plate appearances, with two singles, a double, a walk and a home run.

His next double will give him 30 on the season, a mark he has reached in four straight seasons and seven of the last eight. He's on pace for 40 doubles, something he has done three times, including a career high 47 two-baggers in 2012.

In 22 career games at Miller Park, Gonzalez is hitting .393/.466/.753 with eight home runs and 22 RBI, the third-highest batting average in Miller Park history, minimum 50 plate appearances, trailing only Lastings Milledge (.4154) and Jeff Baker (.4151).

Gonzalez is 0-for-1 with a strikeout against Mike Fiers, starting for the Brewers on Saturday night.

Game info

Pitchers: Zack Greinke vs. Fiers

Time: 4:10 p.m. PT

TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network