Los Angeles Dodgers drub New York Mets to earn first season sweep of New York
NEW YORK -- Justin Turner's caught stealing turned into a two-out stolen base when a video review determined that he reached around Amed Rosario to evade the rookie shortstop's tag. That sparked a three-run first inning that led the record-setting Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-0 rout of the Mets on Sunday night and their first season sweep of New York.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-6), Tony Cingrani and Kenley Jansen combined on a one-hitter. New York's only baserunners came on Travis d'Arnaud's third-inning single and Brandon Nimmo's ninth-inning walk.
Los Angeles crushed the Mets like refuse in a trash compactor, outscoring them 57-15 over seven games and outhomering them 25-11.
Rookie Cody Bellinger hit his 32nd homer, a 447-foot, two-run drive in the eighth. Turner, who like Bellinger homered for the second straight day, raised his NL-leading batting average to .349.
Ryu extended his scoreless streak to 15 innings, striking out eight over seven innings as Los Angeles opened a season-high, 15 1/2-game NL West lead. Cingrani and Jansen each pitched an inning.
Logan Forsythe hit a two-run single in the first and came home on Austin Barnes' double. Turner made it 5-0 in the third with a two-run, opposite-field drive to right-center off Steven Matz (2-5). Bellinger homered against Hansel Robles.
Los Angeles has won four straight and 13 of 14 and is 24-3 since July 4, with three losses to Atlanta. The Dodgers' 79-32 record puts them on pace for 115 wins. They are just the fourth big league team to win 43 or more over a 50-game stretch and the first since the 1912 New York Giants, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The others were the 1906 Chicago Cubs and 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association.
New York has lost nine straight to the Dodgers and seven of eight overall. At 49-60, the Mets are 11 games under .500 for the first time since July 2014.
Matz was removed after 102 pitches and 5 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs and six hits. He is 0-4 with an 11.03 ERA in his past six starts.
Corey Seager singled with one out in the first. Turner hit into a forceout and then stole second. Umpire Will Little called him out, but replays showed that Turner's right arm reached around Rosario's tag, and the call was reversed.
Bellinger walked, and Matz failed to check the runners as the Dodgers pulled off a double steal. Forsythe stayed with a curveball and grounded the next pitch up the middle for a 2-0 lead, and Barnes doubled down the left-field line. Kike Hernandez singled, but d'Arnaud blocked a sliding Turner as he took the throw from center fielder Michael Conforto and tagged the runner.
Runners are 9-for-9 on steal attempts on Matz this year and 32-for-38 in his big league career. Turner doubled his season stolen base total to four, and 10 of his 13 homers have come off left-handers.
LEFT, TOO
RHP Yu Darvish played catch left-handed two days after he pitched seven shutout innings to win his Dodgers' debut. "He's got a three-pitch mix, and he can really do some things with the baseball left-handed," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
FAN CLUB
Hernandez wore the Yoenis Cespedes No. 52 chain, given to fans as a promotion Saturday. Hernandez said he got it from family who attended the game.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw, who hasn't pitched since injuring his back on July 23, will rejoin the Dodgers on Monday night in Phoenix. ... C Yasmani Grandal was out of the starting lineup a day after leaving in the ninth inning due to a sore back. "I expect him to be ready to start on Tuesday," Roberts said. ... LHP Alex Wood (13-1) threw a bullpen session and adjusted his mechanics, three days after feeling fatigue after beating Atlanta. He is to start Wednesday. ... 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who hasn't played for the Dodgers since June 11 because of lumbar disk herniation, went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in the first two games of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Mets: RF-1B Jay Bruce missed his second straight games with a sore neck. ... Neil Walker, 3-for-27 since returning from a partially torn left hamstring on July 28, fouled out when he pinch hit in the sixth. ... RHP Matt Harvey (right shoulder stress injury) pitched a bullpen session and is to throw batting practice Tuesday. ... RHP Robert Gsellman, on the DL since late June with a strained left hamstring, allowed six runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton at Harrisburg.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Kenta Maeda (10-4) starts Tuesday's series opener at Arizona.
Mets: RHP Chris Flexen (0-1) pitches Tuesday against visiting Texas in his third big league start.
Regular Season Series
MLB News
DJ LeMahieu thrilled to play in front of crowd, knows 'how much it means to a lot of fans to watch the Yankees'
On Sunday, DJ LeMahieu and the New York Yankees will have a chance to feel that "adrenaline and excitement" that last season lacked, when they play in front fans against the Toronto Blue Jays to Steinbrenner Field.
Albert Pujols reiterates he'll decide future after season with Los Angeles Angels
Following last week's misinterpreted Instagram post, Albert Pujols reiterated his stance that he hasn't decided whether to retire after this season
Revisiting Miguel Cabrera's 2020 homers
As Miguel Cabrera attempts to get to 500 career home runs, relive all the dingers he hit during the 2020 season.
Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera hopes to reach 500 home runs, 3,000 hits in 2021 season
Tigers star Miguel Cabrera is 13 home runs shy of 500 for his career and 134 hits short of 3,000. He hopes to reach both milestones this season. "We can do both," he said.
Chicago Cubs' Joc Pederson, Javy Baez both have something to prove, but for different reasons
Chicago Cubs shortstop Javy Baez and left fielder Joc Pederson both have something to prove in 2021, but for different reasons.
Los Angeles Angels re-sign veteran right-hander Jesse Chavez to minor league deal
Veteran right-hander Jesse Chavez is re-signing with the Los Angeles Angels on a minor league deal.