Dodgers Even Freeway Series With Angels After Joc Pederson's Home Run

Time to start a new blue streak. 

Joc Pederson hit a three-run home run and Kenta Maeda threw seven shutout innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers evened the Freeway Series with their crosstown rivals the Angels, 4-0, on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers saw their 10-game winning-streak and streak of 17 consecutive games with a home run snapped by the Angels on Monday night, but started a new streak on both fronts thanks to the exploits of Pederson in the sixth inning.

Pederson hit his first long ball off a left-hander this season, as the Dodgers scored the only runs of the game in a four-run sixth against the Halos.

"Shawn Wooten [Dodgers Triple-A hitting coach] definitely found something in my swing that I was not doing," said Pederson of his first homer against a lefty. "That was my first hit. It's paying off. Things have been going well with it."

Chase Utley led off the inning with a double to left-center, the first legitimate hit of the game against former Dodger and Angels' starter, Jesse Chavez.

Logan Forsythe walked, and Chris Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to center before Chavez (5-8) left the game with one out.

Similar to Ricky Nolasco who defeated his former team the night prior, Chavez threw 6 and 1/3 scoreless innings before he was removed, and was responsible for two runners on base. 

"Same as Nolasco yesterday, he [Chavez] was mixing his stuff really well and keeping us off-balance," said Bellinger of Chavez. "He manipulated the plate and made us chase. Gotta tip your cap to him."

Unlike Monday night, the Halos' bullpen could not close the door as Jose Alvarez allowed an RBI single to Cody Bellinger that scored the first run of the game.

"It's more barrel control than anything," Bellinger said of his ability to hit the ball to opposite field off Alvarez. "I'm comfortable with where I attack from. Sometimes I can load early and be preset."

Bellinger is batting .297 with 20 runs, eight doubles, 13 home runs and 27 RBI in the month of June. 

Two batters later, Pederson crushed a curveball for his seventh home run of the season and fifth in his last 11 games since coming off the disabled list. Pederson suffered a concussion after running into Yasiel Puig in right field on May 25.

"Maybe it knocked some sense into me, I don't know," joked Pederson of his hot-hitting since he was concussed by Puig. "I was hitting a lot of balls on the ground, and now I'm getting under them."

Maeda (6-3) was masterful in his best start of the season for the boys in blue. The Japanese right-hander allowed just four hits with no walks and six strikeouts in seven shutout innings.

"The last three or four outings he's been aggressive and attacking the strike zone," said Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts of Maeda. "The slider and curveball were sharp. He was efficient and that's what we needed today to start a new winning streak."

The Dodgers finished their nine-game homestand with a record of 8-1, and currently have the best record in the National League at 52-27.

Trayce Thompson made his 2017 Dodger debut as he started for the first time since June 20, 2016. Thompson was hitless in the game, but made multiple defensive plays in right field in place of Yasiel Puig.

"It feels good to be back with all these guys," said Thompson of his first start in over a year. "It felt good to get out there and play the game I've wanted to play since I was five years old. I was just happy to be back."

Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager was not in the lineup for the fourth game in a row and could be placed on the 10-day disabled list if his injured hamstring does not get better.

Up Next:

The Freeway Series continues as the Dodgers travel down the I-5 to Anaheim for the first of two games at the Big A on Wednesday. Hyun-Jin Ryu starts for the Boys in Blue opposite RHP Alex Meyer for the Halos. First pitch is scheduled for 7:07PM PST.