The Dodgers are on hot streak 

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By Earl Heath, Contributing Sports Writer 

The LA Dodgers routed the Philadelphia Phillies in mitts of a seven- game home stand as bats came alive and pitching was stellar. 

Will Smith homered in the first inning of the series opener 

that gave LA a 1-0 lead in a 13-4 win. The Dodgers have 26 first innings homeruns, most in majors this season.  

Mookie Betts helped propel the offense that belted out a season-best 15 hits. The Dodgers also tied a season high for runs as they scored in every inning but the sixth enroute to a fourth straight win. 

“We’ve had some guys hitting and some not. Fortunately we were able to put it all together tonight,” said Betts, who also drove in three runs. 

Betts was batting .233 at the start of the homestand but has gone 6 for 17 with one homer and four RBIs to raise his average 19 points.  

Freddy Freeman went 3 for 5 and knocked in a pair. David Peralta hit a three-run homer and Jason Heyward had solo a shot. It is the 10th time this season the Dodgers have hit at least three homers in a game, which is second in the majors behind Tampa Bay’s 11. 

In game two the Dodgers scored 13 runs for the second straight night and added another season high 17 hits. 

Miguel Vargas had four hits as he and Mookie Betts both drove in three runs, and Freddie Freeman had a two-run homer in the eighth. 

Betts had three hits and is 9 for 21 over the past five games. His two-run single on a full count off Matt Strahm (2-3) in the second inning help extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0. Betts then lined an RBI base hit to center in the fourth to make it 4-1.    

Julio Urías had sixth double-digit strikeout game of his big-league career as he mostly silenced a Phillies’ offense that entered third in the majors with a .271 batting average. The only hit the left-hander allowed was a home run to Trea Turner to lead off the fourth inning. Turner was with the Dodgers for 1 1/2 seasons before signing with Philadelphia during the offseason. 

The solid outing also snapped a three-game personal losing streak for Urías (4-3). He won his first three starts before dropping his last three. 

Bryce Harper, a two-time NL MVP, was activated before the game from the injured list after only 160 days from Tommy John surgery was the designated hitter. The two-time NL MVP went ) 0 for4. 

Earlier in the homestead Clayton Kershaw had another super start as he went  seven sharp innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. 

Kershaw didn’t allow a baserunner until Dylan Carlson’s one-out single in the fifth. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner gave up two hits, struck out nine and walked none, throwing 88 pitches. 

“Four innings, you don’t really think about (being perfect) but it’s nice to get off to a good start like that and kind of get into that rhythm,” Kershaw said. 

In his his 16th season on a one-year deal, the 35-year-old Kershaw (5-1) won his fourth consecutive start. He has allowed just one earned run over his last three outings, a span of 20 innings. His ERA dropped to 1.89. 

At press time the Dodgers are 18-13 with a five-game win streak.