Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez Hit All the Balls Out in Win Over Giants

Dodgers 6 7 0

Giants 2 8 0

WP- Greinke (2-0)

LP- Cain (0-1)

HR- Kemp  2 (2), Ramirez 2 (2), Belt (4), Pence (1)

Matt Kemp‘s last 2-homer game was September 29, 2012. On Sunday evening, the Dodgers were able to stave off the sweep by defeating the Giants at Dodger Stadium. There were 6 homeruns in the game including 4 long balls (2 each) from Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez. It was so sweet to see Matt Kemp regain his form and hit two beautiful homeruns for the hometown crowd who had been dejected after the first two horrendous games of the series versus the Giants. Hanley Ramirez also hit two homeruns including a monstrous shot to left field which almost left the stadium.

Other than a shaky inning in the sixth when he allowed homeruns to Belt and Pence, Greinke was dominate. He struck out 8 batters and

Apr 6, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

walked none on his way to pick up his second win of the season. The Dodger bullpen was excellent again, and they combined for four scoreless frames. 16 Giants struck out during the game, and interestingly there were no walks from either team.

Even though Yasiel Puig was not in the lineup after injuring his thumb during a ridiculous head first slide into first base on Saturday, the Dodgers’ offense still managed to get the job done. ESPN took no shame in showing Puig in the dugout, and in the beginning of the game the ESPN broadcast crew even described the four outfielder situation a “soap opera.” This soap opera had a happy ending with high-fives, as the Dodgers avoided the sweep and finished the series on a winning note.

Angel Pagan is swinging on the first pitch he sees from Zack Greinke, and he promptly singles to right field to open the game. Greinke rears back and strikes out Brandon Belt. That was a great pitch from Greinke to get him to chase. Pablo Sandoval lines out to Carl Crawford who makes the catch kneeling down. Then Greinke places a beautiful pitch to strike out Buster Posey looking!

Matt Cain throws Dee Gordon out just in time after he hits a little dribbler in front of the mound. Carl Crawford pops out to Brandon Crawford at shortstop. Hanley Ramirez hits a broken bat grounder to first, and Cain sends the Dodgers down in order.

Greinke is looking great so far, and he pitches a perfect second inning. First he strikes out Hunter Pence, Michael Morse flies out to Andre Ethier in right field, and Brandon Crawford strikes out.

The bottom of the second inning is where the game gets interesting. Matt Kemp blasts a solo homerun to deep left center field! The first Bison Blast this year, and it feels like the good old days!

Greinke keeps mowing down Giants. He strikes out rookie Ehire Adrianza. Cain grounds out to third, but Angel Pagan sneaks a groundball to right field for the second time of the night and the Giants only two hits. Greinke turns around and strikes out Belt to end the top of the third.

Cain makes easy work of the bottom of the Dodgers lineup as Drew Butera, Zack Greinke, and Dee Gordon are retired consecutively.

The Giants can only muster three weak groundballs against Greinke in the top of the fourth. What a difference a day makes. Greinke’s solid start is refreshing after Hyun-jin Ryu and Paul Maholm‘s clunkers.

In the bottom of the fourth, with one out, Hanley Ramirez proceeds to drill a humongous homerun to left field! It almost eclipsed Dodger Stadium. 2-0 Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez follows with a double to right field. Ethier flies out, then his long-time teammate Matt Kemp hits his second homerun of the game! Kemp homers to right center field, and the Dodgers add two more runs and lead 4-0.

Zack Greinke even collected a double against the Giants in his second win of the season. Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Morse singles to lead-off the top of the fifth for San Francisco. Greinke picks up his seventh strikeout with a called strike out on Brandon Crawford. Adrianza grounds into a force out. Cain dunks a single down the left field line with two outs. Greinke has had enough of Pagan, who has two hits against him tonight, and he strikes him out looking to end the inning.

Greinke shows why he is the reigning N.L. Silver Slugger at his position and hits a ground-rule double with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Gordon is called out on strikes. CC grounds out, and he is now 0-for-3 on the night.

In the top of the sixth, Greinke is acting out of sorts during a Brandon Belt at-bat. He has a lengthy conversation with Uribe, and he crouches down in apparent discomfort. Belt takes advantage and hits a solo homerun to right field, 4-1 Dodgers. The Panda hits a little grounder to the right of the mound, and Greinke takes care of it himself by running the ball over to first base. Posey flies out to right for the second out. Hunter Pence hits the second solo homerun of the inning for the Giants, and now the Dodger lead is cut in half. Here comes Don Mattingly, and he’ll leave Greinke in after talking to him briefly on the mound. Morse hits a groundout to first to end the inning.

Zack Greinke pitched 6 innings while allowing 2 runs on 6 hits with 8 strikeouts and no walks on 94 pitches.

Hanley Ramirez leads off the bottom of the sixth with a double to the left field corner, and Hanley is now 2-for-3 with a double and a homerun. Gonzalez’s groundout moves Hanley over to third. Hanley easily walks home on a deep fly ball to center field by Ethier, 5-2 Dodgers. Ethier hit a ball right off his shin and above his shin guard, but he kept on battling and almost hit that one out. Kemp grounds out to the pitcher to end the inning, but the Dodgers tack on another run.

Chris Withrow will relieve Zack Greinke in the top of the seventh for the Dodgers, and the right-hander proceeds to strike out the side!

Apr 6, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp (27) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning as San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (35) watches at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Crawford, Adrianza, and Blanco all strike out swinging.

Juan Gutierrez will pitch for San Francisco in the bottom of the seventh in relief of Cain who went 6 innings and allowed 5 runs on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts and no walks on 81 pitches. Gutierrez easily retires Uribe on a pop out, Butera on a fly out, and pinch-hitter Justin Turner strikes out.

J.P. Howell will pitch the eighth inning for the Dodgers. Belt picks up a single with one out, and he goes 2-for-4. Sandoval strikes out swinging, and Mattingly will call on former closer Chris Perez to pitch to Buster Posey. Perez does his job and strikes out Posey as the catcher pirouettes around after failing at the sliders!

The lefty David Huff is in for the bottom of the eighth. Gordon hits a bouncer to third for the first out. Crawford flies out. Then Hanley booms another homerun, his second of the game, over the center field fence! Dodgers are up 6-2.

We head to the ninth, and Kenley Jansen will come in to close up shop against San Francisco. Pence goes down swinging for the first out. Morse annoyingly singles. Crawford strikes out swinging. Hector Sanchez strikes out looking, and the Dodgers win!

The Dodgers improve to 5-3 on the season. Monday the Dodgers have a another day off before Detroit comes into town for a two-game series.