Dodgers hit 4 home runs to beat Giants

The Dodgers tied a season high with four home runs, powering past the Giants 7-3 at Dodger Stadium to take the three-game series. It continued an early-season power display that has the Dodgers in rarefied air.

The Dodgers haven't lead the major leagues in home runs since 1974, the only season the club has topped MLB in long balls since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. The club hasn't even led the National League in homers since 1983.

But they end their April atop the majors with 32 home runs in 21 games, three of which came in the first inning.

The Dodgers hit their 32nd home run of 2014 in their 31st game.

New leadoff man Joc Pederson got comfortable in his new spot in the lineup real quick, hitting a home run in the first inning, squaring things up after the Giants scratched across a run in the top of the frame.

Two batters later Adrian Gonzalez, in his first time batting cleanup this season after 18 starts batting third, added a home run, his eighth of the opening month to lead the National League. After a walk, Andre Ethier added a two-run shot for a 4-1 lead.

It was Ethier's third home run this season, in 19 games and 55 plate appearances. In 2014 Ethier had four home runs all season, 130 games and 380 plate appearances.

Jimmy Rollins, bumped down a spot to hitting second, homered in the third inning, his first since the opening day game winner.

But that early lead was anything but comfortable for Zack Greinke.

After allowing three hits and a run in the first inning, the Giants put two runners on in the second and they would have scored were it not for a diving catch by Ethier in right field to rob Joe Panik.

Greinke stranded a double in the third inning, but allowed a double in the fourth in front of a home run by Brandon Crawford to cut the Dodgers lead to 6-3.

Greinke did settle down through to last six innings, his fifth quality start in as many outings this season.

Vogelsong entered the night having allowed four home runs in 16⅓ innings, already a bad ratio. But he matched that in just three innings on Wednesday, and never saw the fourth. The Dodgers tagged Vogelsong for six runs on five hits and a walk in three frames, raising his ERA to 9.31.

Notes

Greinke himself added a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, the first sacrifice fly by a Dodgers pitcher since Clayton Kershaw against the Pirates on Aug. 15, 2012.

Adam Liberatore pitched a perfect seventh inning with one strikeout. In his brief major league career the left-hander has retired 18 of 19 batters faced, with 6⅓ scoreless innings and six strikeouts.

Yimi Garcia pitched a clean ninth inning with a strikeout, and on the season his 19 strikeouts are tied with Aroldis Chapman of the Reds for the National League lead among relievers.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, when hitting at least four home runs in a game the Dodgers are 119-20 (.856).

Up next

The Dodgers have an off day on Thursday, then open a weekend series against the Diamondbacks at home. Carlos Frias gets the start on Friday night, his first start of the year for the Dodgers, while old friend Rubby De La Rosa starts for Arizona.

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: Joc Pederson (4), Adrian Gonzalez (8), Andre Ethier (3), Jimmy Rollins (2); Brandon Crawford (4)

WP - Zack Greinke (4-0): 6 IP, 7 hits, 3 rns, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts

LP - Ryan Vogelsong (0-2): 3 IP, 5 hits, 6 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts