Buehler deals, surging Dodgers sweep Giants with 3-1 victory

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Muncy homered on his bobblehead night, Walker Buehler pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers swept a two-game rivalry series between the NL's top two teams with a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.

Chris Taylor had a two-run single in the first inning of the fifth consecutive victory for the defending World Series champions, who chased Giants ace Kevin Gausman after five innings and won despite getting just three hits all night.

Kenley Jansen allowed two baserunners to open the ninth, but finished strong for his 20th save as Los Angeles (49-31) pulled within 1 1/2 games of the major league-leading Giants (50-29).

Steven Duggar had an RBI double in the seventh for the Giants, who have lost three straight for the first time since the Dodgers swept them in San Francisco on May 21-23. That was also the last time the Giants lost a series, going 7-0-3 in their ensuing 10.

Muncy hit his 17th homer to straightaway center in the third, connecting on the night the Dodgers handed out a bobblehead doll commemorating his famous homer into McCovey Cove in June 2019. Muncy angered Madison Bumgarner during his run around the bases, and the duo’s verbal sparring ended with Muncy telling the former Giants ace to “Get it out of the ocean!”

Buehler (8-1) didn't allow an earned run while striking out seven and reverting to his usual dominant self in his first start since he took his first loss since September 2019. Buehler’s franchise record-tying streak of 23 consecutive regular season starts without a defeat ended in the Chicago Cubs’ combined no-hitter last Thursday.

Buehler outpitched Gausman (8-2), who didn't last six innings for only the third time all season while taking his second loss in four...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Buehler-deals-surging-Dodgers-sweep-Giants-with-16283380.php