LOS ANGELES — Matt Kemp tied a career high with five hits, Joc Pederson and Max Muncy hit back-to-back homers to highlight a six-run fourth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 17-1 on Monday night in the series opener.
Kemp hit a three-run homer in the sixth and drove in four runs for the second straight game. He came up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Fans chanted “MVP! MVP!” as Kemp crossed the plate after his 15th homer of the season. The veteran slugger is the second-leading vote getter among National League outfielders for the All-Star Game. Kemp also scored four runs.
Cody Bellinger homered in the third, leaving the Dodgers with 116 homers this season after they slugged a major league-leading and franchise record 55 in June. They already have five long balls two days into July.
The Dodgers recorded season-highs in hits (21) and runs. They batted around in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, tacking on three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth for a 17-1 lead.
Alex Wood (5-5) allowed one run and six hits in six innings. The left-hander struck out three and didn’t walk anyone. The Dodgers’ defense backed him with double plays in the first and sixth.
Caleb Ferguson pitched three innings to earn his first major league save on his 22nd birthday.
Yasiel Puig had three hits and drove in four runs in the Dodgers’ second straight win.
The Pirates stumbled from the start.
In the first inning alone, David Freese dropped a throw at first base, starter Nick Kingham balked a runner to third and catcher Elias Diaz missed the target on a throw to the mound for an error by Kingham that allowed Bellinger to score the Dodgers’ second run of the inning.
Pittsburgh’s third error — by center fielder Austin Meadows — led to the Dodgers scoring their 10th run in the fourth.
The Pirates’ lone run came on Diaz’ homer in the second.
Kingham (3-3) gave up seven runs — five earned — and eight hits in three-plus innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked three making a spot start in place of Chad Kuhl, who is on the disabled list with a forearm strain.
The Dodgers were no kinder to reliever Tanner Anderson, who got tagged for six runs — five earned — and eight hits in two innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: INF-OF Sean Rodriguez (right quad strain) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis. … LHP Enny Romero (left shoulder impingement) was reinstated from the DL and designated for assignment.
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler will pitch at Class A-Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday. If it goes well, he will toss a bullpen session on Friday. … LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder inflammation) will have a rehab assignment before he returns. …
UP NEXT
Pirates RHP Ivan Nova (4-5, 4.02 ERA) starts on Tuesday. He is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers. LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-4, 2.84) makes his third start for Los Angeles since coming off the DL. He is 2/3 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 career starts against the Pirates, with 69 strikeouts and 12 walks while holding their batters to a .221 average.
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