LOS ANGELES -- Coming off a stretch in which they had lost eight of nine, the Dodgers returned to L.A. in sore need of a get-right series. They got it, sweeping the Royals in three games at Dodger Stadium.
Wednesday night's 4-2 win was the most convincing of L.A.'s trio of victories against Kansas City. The Dodgers got home runs from Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Hunter Feduccia to back 6 1/3 solid innings from starting pitcher Eric Lauer. Unlike the first two games of the series, no late-inning magic was necessary, and Landon Knack saved the bullpen by covering the final 2 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers' third straight win allowed them to remain tied with the Braves for the second-best record in the National League (73-48), one game behind the league-leading Brewers (74-47). L.A. sat atop the NL before its tough 1-8 stretch, which included a season-high seven-game skid.
There is plenty of time for movement in the standings in the final month and a half of the regular season. Still, this weekend, the Dodgers will have the valuable opportunity to directly take on one team in front of them: the Brewers, who are coming to Dodger Stadium for a four-game set.