Clayton Kershaw gave up one run over five innings, Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor hit home runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their season-best winning streak to 10 games with a 7-1 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, the top three hitters in the Dodgers’ order, went a combined 8-for-13. Betts scored four runs as the Dodgers improved to 14-1 in August.
Kershaw (11-4) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out two in his second start since missing six weeks with a shoulder injury. He allowed a combined two runs in those two outings.
Mark Canha homered and Wade Miley gave up four runs (three earned) in five innings for the National League Central-leading Brewers, who have dropped the first two games of the three-game series to the NL West-leading Dodgers after arriving on a four-game winning streak.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the first inning but scored just once against Miley (6-3) on an Amed Rosario groundout. The Brewers got even in the second inning on Canha’s home run, his seventh of the season and first since joining Milwaukee at the trade deadline.
The Dodgers moved back in front for good in the bottom of the second inning when Rojas socked his third homer of the month, a solo shot. He did not have any home runs through the end of July.
With the bases loaded later in the second, Los Angeles made it 3-1 when J.D. Martinez reached first base on catcher’s interference, allowing Betts to score. It was the second time in two innings Martinez reached on catcher’s interference.
The Dodgers upped their advantage to 4-1 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Smith that scored Betts.
Los Angeles added two runs with two outs in the sixth, the first when Milwaukee center fielder Joey Wiemer dropped Freeman’s fly ball at the wall for a double, allowing Betts to score for the fourth time. Smith followed with an RBI single.
Taylor hit a home run in the seventh inning, his 13th and first since July 17.
Right-hander Gus Varland had three strikeouts over two scoreless innings in his Dodgers debut. Varland made eight appearances with the Brewers earlier this season.
–Field Level Media
