Joc's jolt sends Dodgers to 7th straight win

LOS ANGELES -- Joc Pederson's tie-breaking blast leading off the bottom of the seventh inning capped another Dodgers home-run barrage Thursday night in a 6-3 win at Dodger Stadium, completing their first four-game sweep over the Mets since 1979.
The Dodgers ran their season-high win streak to seven and home streak to eight, while the Mets have lost seven of their last eight games. The Dodgers slugged 15 home runs in the series, the most they've hit (or the Mets have allowed) in a series, and have homered in 14 consecutive games.
• Homers fuel Dodgers' win streak
"Now, where the air is thin, the ball is flying, it's not as heavy," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "I joked with Corey [Seager], you better get the ball in the air now, because in about two months the air gets heavy again. Everyone's aware of it. We're elevating and good things are happening."

Starters Steven Matz of the Mets and Hyun Jin Ryu of the Dodgers had no-decisions, each allowing two home runs. Kiké Hernández and Justin Turner went deep for the Dodgers, while Curtis Granderson and Travis d'Arnaud homered for the Mets.

Pederson, a defensive replacement the previous inning, homered (Statcast™ estimate of 433 feet) off Paul Sewald, who had just entered the game, and before the seventh inning ended the Dodgers added insurance runs when Jerry Blevins walked winning Dodgers reliever Pedro Báez (1-0) and catcher Austin Barnes with the bases loaded.

"I was just bad today," Blevins said. "That happens sometimes. Sometimes you stink. The good part about my job is I've got to be ready to do it tomorrow, so I can go out there and be better."
• Struggling Mets vow to press ahead
Granderson led off for the second consecutive game with a home run, but Turner countered with a two-out solo homer in the third, followed by Cody Bellinger's ground-rule double and an opposite-field two-run shot by Hernandez, his seventh. Of Hernandez's 34 hits, 25 are for extra bases. The Mets tied the game off Chris Hatcher in the sixth inning on a one-out walk to Jay Bruce and a two-out RBI double by Lucas Duda when the Dodgers mishandled the relay.
"We're probably the hottest team in baseball right now," said Hernandez. "Those guys right now are not playing the best baseball right now. When we're hot and we have a team coming in town that's not playing the best, you not only want to win the series, you want to sweep them."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Center fielder in charge: With runners on the corners and one out in the second inning, center fielder Hernandez called off left fielder Franklin Gutierrez to catch a fly by Mets second baseman Gavin Cecchini to medium left center and gunned down Duda trying to tag from third base and score for an inning-ending double-play. It was Hernandez's first start (but not first action) in center field since May 13.
"Considering I have a better arm than Gutti, I was going to call him off and I had a better angle," said Hernandez. "I called him off and whistled pretty loud. I take a lot of pride in my defense, playing multiple positions, I want to be as good as anybody at every single spot. The one fun part of the outfield for me is getting to throw somebody out. That's my mentality, I'm not going to let anybody tag."

Serious duel: It took 12 pitches, but Baez finally got the best of Wilmer Flores, retiring him on a grounder to second base to end the seventh inning after Flores fouled off five two-strike pitches, with Brandon Nimmo on first base representing the tie-breaking run.
QUOTABLE
"There's a lot of nights I've been to Dodger Stadium where the ball doesn't fly. And it flew out of here this series like nothing." -- Mets manager Terry Collins
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Granderson's leadoff homer was the 20th of his Mets career, giving him sole possession of the franchise record. He has 44 total leadoff homers with the Mets, Yankees and Tigers, tied with Ian Kinsler for the most among active players, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
JANSEN ROLLS ON
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen came on for a four-out save (the sixth time this year) and converted his 16th save overall in as many chances. His ERA is 0.87 after 13 consecutive scoreless appearances.
"The thing we're so excited about is the willingness and unselfishness to do whatever is needed every single day," Roberts said of Jansen's workload this season.

WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: The Mets will travel up the coast to begin a three-game series Friday in San Francisco, with Seth Lugo opposing GIants left-hander Ty Blach in the 7:15 p.m. PT opener. The Mets also expect to activate shortstop Asdrúbal Cabrera before the game.
Dodgers:Alex Wood, who is putting up Clayton Kershaw numbers, starts the 7:10 p.m. PT series opener against the Rockies on Friday having received an extra day of rest following his eight strong innings to beat Cincinnati on Saturday.
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