It's Ross Stripling's world, we just live in it.
Stripling allowed just one run in seven innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-2, on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
"We're confident," said Stripling after the victory. "Last couple outings for me we've been able to get some early runs and that's been great."
Following a brutal, 6-1, beat down by the Fightin' Phils on Tuesday, it was the Boys in Blue who did the bashing in this game, courtesy of home runs by Max Muncy and Matt Kemp.
Kemp kicked off the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the first that gave the Dodgers an early, 1-0 lead. Kemp has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games and is batting a whopping .361 over that span.
"We got it going in the first inning," said Kemp. "I just try and go out there and make things happen. Whatever happens, happens."
Not to be confused with Mel Gibson or Tom Hardy, the man known as "Mad Max" hit is seventh home run of the year on a solo shot off Zach Eflin in the bottom of the third inning.
In his last 18 games since May 10, Muncy is batting .302 with seven runs, five doubles, five home runs and 14 RBI.
"Max got a good pitch to hit," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts of the home run. "When he's going to the big part of the field he's pretty special. He puts together good at-bats."
After a two-out walk to Yasmani Grandal, Kemp blasted a first-pitch fastball from Eflin deep into the left field pavilion for his seventh home run of the season as well.
The homer marked Kemp's team-leading 16th multi-hit game this season and increased his batting average to .345, good for first place in the National League.
"We still got four months to go," said Kemp about leading the league in hitting. "It's a long season, but of course it's good to feel the way I feel. It feels good."
Eflin (1-2) sulked off the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts in four short innings, his shortest outing of the season for the Phillies.
Philadelphia's lone run of the game off Stripling came on a solo shot from Nick Williams in the top of the seventh inning.
"That wasn't a well executed changeup," said Stripling of the pitch to Williams. "I had gotten him out earlier with it, and I knew if I got it down I had a good chance to get him out, but I hung it on a tee and he didn't miss it."
Meanwhile, Stripling (3-1) earned his third consecutive victory, allowing just one earned run on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in seven solid innings.
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"He missed a lot of barrels tonight,"
Stripling lowered his ERA to 1.68 on the season.
Stripling not only dominated on the mound, but he helped his own cause at the plate as well with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
"They walked Logan to get to me," joked Stripling of his RBI single. "We've been working on it, but that was just your classic step in the bucket and post a nice soft liner the other way. It was pretty cool."
Chris Taylor had an RBI double in the same inning, placing him second on the team in doubles behind only Kemp (14) on the season with 13.
Kemp finished the game responsible for half of the Dodgers eight runs with a season-high four RBI and now has a team-leading 30 RBI on the season.
Every player in the starting lineup had a hit on the night for the Dodgers.
The victory guarantees the Dodgers first winning homestand this season.
Up Next:
The finale of the four-game series with Philadelphia will feature RHP Aaron Nola against the return of the three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:35PM PST.
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