Stripling wins sixth straight start as Dodgers down Giants, 3-2
Ross Stripling won his sixth consecutive start while Enrique Hernandez and Matt Kemp hit home runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers upended the visiting San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
During his six-game win streak, Stripling has given up just six earned runs over 37 2/3 innings (1.43 ERA) and has helped to stabilize a rotation that has been plagued by injuries.
The Giants lost for the fifth time in eight games on their 10-game, three-city road trip that also included stops in Washington and Miami. They came to Los Angeles after defeating the Marlins on Thursday in a 16-inning marathon.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save in 18 chances as the Dodgers improved to 10-2 in June.
Hernandez hit his ninth home run while Kemp hit his 11th as the Dodgers have hit 32 homers in June, easily the most in baseball. After struggling to hit home runs early in the season, the recent long-ball surge has moved the Dodgers atop the National League with 88 homers.
Stripling took a shutout into the seventh inning, where he gave up a two-run home run to Pablo Sandoval on his last pitch of the night. It was the fifth home run on the season for Sandoval and third in his past nine games.
Stripling (6-1) gave up two runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings, recording six strikeouts without giving up a walk. It was the right-hander's seventh consecutive start of at least five innings where he gave up two earned runs or less.
Giants starter Derek Holland (4-7) gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits over five innings. The Giants lost for just the fourth time over the last 10 games Holland has started.
Hernandez's first-inning home run gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, while Kemp's fourth-inning shot made it 2-0.
Two batters after Kemp's homer, Yasmani Grandal hit a deep fly ball that center fielder Austin Jackson dropped at the wall for a three-base error. Yasiel Puig followed with an RBI double.
--Field Level Media
