The Los Angeles Dodgers pounded out three homers and the bullpen covered eight innings after starter Noah Syndergaard exited with an injury to preserve a 6-2 victory over the host Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Syndergaard had a cut on his right index finger and left after a 20-pitch scoreless first inning. Justin Bruihl (1-0), the second of seven relievers, got the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Evan Phillips retired the only batter he faced for his sixth save.
Miguel Vargas had a two-run homer and Mookie Betts and Will Smith had solo homers for the Dodgers.
The Brewers got solo homers from Rowdy Tellez, his 10th, and Victor Caratini, his second, off Shelby Miller in the seventh.
The Dodgers got to long-time nemesis Eric Lauer (3-4) for four runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 innings, including two homers. Lauer has given up eight homers in 34 1/3 innings this season.
It was Lauer’s shortest outing in 12 career starts against the Dodgers. Lauer entered with a 7-1 career mark and a 2.37 ERA against them.
Betts led off the first with his seventh homer, sending an 0-1 pitch 392 feet to left-center field. The Dodgers added an unearned run when Freddie Freeman walked, stole second, took third on Lauer’s errant pickoff attempt and scored on Smith’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Dodgers made it 3-0 in the second when James Outman doubled and scored on Miguel Rojas’ two-out single to right.
Smith extended the lead to 4-0 in the third with his fifth homer, a one-out solo shot to left. Vargas put the Dodgers up 6-0 in the sixth with a two-run homer, his third, off Bryse Wilson.
Syndergaard escaped a jam in the first after Christian Yelich singled and Jesse Winker walked to lead off the inning. Left fielder Chris Taylor made a leaping grab of Willy Adames’ drive to the warning track and Syndergaard got Tellez on a double-play bouncer.
Taylor also prevented a possible run with an extended diving catch of Yelich’s drive into the gap with a runner aboard in the third.
–Field Level Media
