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LOS ANGELES —— Before this gets lost in the offensive madness that was the Dodgers 8-3 win over the Pirates, let’s remember who started for the Dodgers in this game.
Clayton Kershaw made his third start since returning from the disabled list and he pitched six innings and gave up two runs and four hits. Kershaw struck out two and had no walks.
So now we can move on to the players with the bat and boy did the Dodgers swing them again on this night.
The Dodgers jumped out in front when Joc Pederson and Max Muncy hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning. For Pederson, it was his third leadoff home run of the season.
Since June 1, Dodgers teammates Joc Pederson and Max Muncy each have an MLB-leading 12 HR (including their 1st inning back-to-back HR's tonight).@Dodgers now have an MLB-leading 7 back-to-back HR this season. pic.twitter.com/U2AloNrDmJ
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 4, 2018
The Pirates scored their first run in the second inning. Elias Díaz had a leadoff double and David Freese followed with a run-scoring single.
Muncy hit his second solo home run to make it 3-1. This was the second time this season he has hit two home runs in a game, the first time was on June 3rd at Colorado.
And in a game with some repetition, Díaz doubled again in the fourth inning and Freese singled him home for the Pirates second run of the game.
Yasmani Grandal tripled to start the bottom of the fourth, it was Grandal’s first triple since August 4, 2016. Chris Taylor, who tripled in his first at-bat, homered to left to end the solo home run stretch.
Grandal joined the home run party with a leadoff homer in the sixth, Taylor followed with a double. Dovydas Neverauskas was brought in to replace Iván Nova and then he gave up a Kiké Hernández two-run homer.
Taylor had his second career game with a double, triple and home run, the first one was against Arizona in 2016.
Nova pitched five plus innings, he gave up seven runs and nine hits. Nova also became the first Pirates pitcher to give up five home runs in a game. The six home runs that the Pirates gave up is the most home runs the Dodgers have ever hit against the Pirates in one game.
Yimi García replaced Kershaw in the seventh, he allowed a Freese solo home run. JT Chargois came into the game in the eighth inning and retired all three batters he faced.
Erik Goeddel came in for the Dodgers to pitch the ninth inning and struck out the side to finish up the game for the Dodgers.
Up Next
The Dodgers will conclude their series against the Pirates as Rich Hill takes the mound against Joe Musgrove. The Fourth of July spectacular begins at 5:10 p.m.
Tuesday particulars
Home runs: Joc Pederson (13), Max Muncy 2 (20), Chris Taylor (10), Yasmani Grandal (12), Kiké Hernández (15), David Freese (5)
WP - Clayton Kershaw (2-4): 6 IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts
LP - Ivan Nova (5-5): 5+ IP, 9 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 5 home runs