The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants, 7-4, to extend their winning streak to a season-best eight games and complete a series sweep. It’s the first time the Dodgers have swept the Giants in a four-game series since June 22-25, 1995, which also came at Dodger Stadium.
Clayton Kershaw stranded the bases loaded in the second inning but his pitch count skyrocketed and it resulted in a short start. He was removed after surrendering a game-tying, two-run home run to Darin Ruf with one out in the fifth inning.
Sunday marked only the third time this season Kershaw failed to complete at least five innings, and it was his shortest start since coming off the injured list.
The Dodgers did provide Kershaw with early lead behind Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman each hitting a single in the bottom of the first inning. Betts extended his hitting streak to five games in the process, Turner’s reached 11, and Freeman has now hit safely in 12 straight.
Flip the script. pic.twitter.com/nH9uoTnWPs
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2022
Flip the script. pic.twitter.com/nH9uoTnWPs
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2022
After Ruf’s homer put the Giants ahead, L.A. responded with three runs on two-out hits by Gavin Lux, Max Muncy and Trayce Thompson in the bottom of the third inning. Up to that point the Dodgers had scored 20 of their 22 runs in the series with two outs.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning, when Freeman’s fly ball to left field dropped for a double thanks to Mercedes not having the best range. That set off a string of hits as Jake Lamb followed with a go-ahead ground-rule double and Lux lined an RBI single into center field.
Thompson then sent his brother Klay into celebration by finding the gap for a run-scoring double with two outs.
Dodgers bullpen backs Kershaw
Yency Almonte, Phil Bickford and Evan Phillips combined for 2.2 scoreless innings after Kershaw’s exit and before the Dodgers could pull back ahead. Alex Vesia then protected the lead in the eighth, and Craig Kimbrel converted his 17th save of the season.
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