Max Muncy delivers two home runs to help the Dodgers beat the Reds 3-2
Los Angeles Dodgers #13 Max Muncy (3B) two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - Max Muncy hit two solo home runs to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers (59-44) past the Cincinnati Red (57-49) at Dodgers Stadium 3-2 in a pitchers duo between Luke Weaver (RHP) and Emmet Sheehan (RHP).
Sheehan (3-1) pitched 5.0 innings for the Dodgers and gave up two hits and five strikeouts, while Weaver (2-3) pitched 6.0 innings for the Reds, gave up just two hits, and unfortunately, those two hits were home runs by Muncy.
"Just being on the attack, trusting my stuff in the zone," Sheehan said. "I think before, I was a little on the defensive, which is not the way I like to pitch. Got back to it this week, for sure."
The Dodgers led 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning after Max Muncy hit a monster two-run home run over the right-center-field wall.
Muncy is the first Dodgers player since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to record all of the team's hits and drive in all of the team's runs in a win (min. two hits). The two home runs were Muncy's 14th career multihomer game.
"Max is a big cog in what we're trying to do," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "It was pretty much Max Muncy and Emmet [Sheehan] versus the Reds tonight. He had a big night. He had a big night, and we couldn't figure the [Reds starter Luke] Weaver out clearly, but we scored enough runs to win a ballgame."
Caleb Ferguson came in to relieve Sheehan in the top of the sixth inning, and the Reds would tie the game 2-2 after Kevin Newman hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field and Elly De La Cruz scored, Spencer Steer singled to right field, and TJ Fried scored.
Muncy, in the bottom of the sixth inning, with two outs, and the count 3-0, delivered the winning run for the Dodgers with a solo shot over the right field wall.
"We get the green light quite a bit," Muncy said. "They usually trust me knowing that I'm not just going to swing just to swing. If it's a pitch where I'm looking, I'll take a hack at it. But I've taken plenty of 3-0 strikes this year when I've had the green light."
Joe Kelly, who replaced Ferguson (2-5), picked up the win. It was a big lift for the Dodgers and Muncy, who in the last seven games has five home runs and 13 RBIs.