David Price #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws against the New York Mets in the first inning at Dodger Stadium on August 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Javier Báez had an RBI double in the first inning of his first game back from injury, J.D. Davis homered and drove in four runs, and the New York Mets snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers' nine-game winning streak with a 7-2 victory Sunday.
Marcus Stroman (9-12) pitched six innings of four-hit ball for the Mets, who avoided a four-game series sweep and a seven-game season sweep at the Dodgers' hands with just their second win in 10 games overall.
Báez made an immediate contribution in his return from an 11-game absence due to back spasms, driving in a run and scoring another during the Mets' three-run first against David Price (4-2).
Báez added a two-out double in the seventh for his second multi-hit game since joining the Mets last month from the Cubs. Davis quickly brought him home by connecting off Phil Bickford for his first homer since July 17, ending a 33-game drought.
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Davis also drove in runs with a single in the first and a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
Cody Bellinger had a two-run single in the fourth, but the Dodgers' second nine-game winning streak in two months ended just shy of becoming the defending World Series champions' longest streak since 2017. Los Angeles dropped 2 1/2 games behind San Francisco atop the NL West and overall MLB standings.
Price yielded three hits, three runs and two walks over four innings. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner is winless in 11 starts — none lasting six full innings — since being forced into the Dodgers' rotation by injuries.
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Stroman earned his third win in 13 starts despite allowing several hard-hit balls early on by the Dodgers' powerful lineup. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs and two walks with six strikeouts.
The Mets had been 3 for 47 with runners in scoring position against the Dodgers this season before the first inning, when Davis and Jonathan Villar both came through. Los Angeles had outscored its opponents 10-0 in the first inning during its winning streak.
DODGERS DEBUTS
Veteran reliever Neftalí Féliz threw a perfect eighth inning for Los Angeles in his debut for his seventh major league team. The Dodgers signed Féliz to a minor league deal last month shortly after Philadelphia designated him for assignment.
Féliz was the 36th pitcher this season for the Dodgers, whose staff has been dogged by constant injuries.
Shane Greene then became the Dodgers' 37th pitcher in the ninth, but he was pulled after giving up a one-out single, hitting two Mets with pitches and then issuing a bases-loaded walk to Davis after getting ahead 0-2.
Los Angeles signed Greene on Friday, six days after Atlanta released him.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Báez had been out since Aug. 10. New York went 3-8 without him. ... SS Francisco Lindor should return early this week from his five-week absence with a right oblique strain, manager Luis Rojas said. ... Davis stayed in the game after being hit on the hand by a bad-hop grounder in the fourth.
Dodgers: Mookie Betts (right hip) will participate in a simulated game Monday and probably Tuesday. Los Angeles hopes to activate the former MVP on Thursday.
UP NEXT
Mets: Tylor Megill (1-2, 3.21 ERA) takes the mound at home Tuesday against the MLB-leading Giants.
Dodgers: Julio Urías (13-3, 3.29 ERA) is expected to return from his injured list stint with a bruised calf to start the series opener at San Diego on Tuesday.
