Blazing-hot Mookie Betts homered for the third straight game, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon.
Betts homered on the game’s third pitch, ending Edward Cabrera’s 22 2/3-inning scoreless streak. He ended the day 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
In the first three games of this series that will conclude on Monday night, Betts is hitting 8-for-15 with four homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. He has 31 homers this season, one short of his 2018 career high.
Cabrera (4-2), making just his 15th career appearance, allowed five hits, three walks and six runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Dodgers lefty Julio Urias (14-7) earned the win, allowing one hit — Brian Anderson’s home run — four walks and one run in six innings. Urias struck out seven batters.
Dating to the start of last season, Urias leads the majors in wins, going 34-10. And in his past eight starts, he is 7-1 with a 1.08 ERA.
The Dodgers opened the scoring with two runs in the first, starting when Betts jumped on a 1-1 changeup, banging the ball 416 feet to center.
Trea Turner followed Betts with a walk, and he scored after consecutive singles, with the RBI going to Justin Turner.
The Dodgers made it 3-0 in the second on another leadoff homer, this one by Trayce Thompson, who pounced on a 94-mph fastball.
Anderson followed the trend by belting a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Miami’s deficit to 3-1.
The Dodgers stretched their lead to 6-1 in the sixth. Cabrera got in trouble with two straight two-out walks, which loaded the bases.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly went to reliever Tommy Nance, who allowed a two-run single by Austin Barnes and an RBI single by Betts.
In the ninth, the Dodgers scored two more runs, including an RBI double from Justin Turner.
Next up, the Dodgers will try to take the series 3-1 on Monday behind Cy Young Award candidate Tony Gonsolin (16-1, 2.10 ERA). Miami will start Pablo Lopez (8-8, 3.66 ERA).
–Field Level Media