Yasiel Puig's Power Lifts L.A. Into First Place in NL West With 8-2 Win Over Mets

Getting Puigy with it!

Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer and Yasmani Grandal hit two, as the Los Angeles Dodgers took over sole possession of first place in the National League West with an 8-2 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of Grandal and Puig, the Boys in Blue won their sixth consecutive game and 12 out of 13 overall.

"Every single night there's somebody different," said Roberts. "Our 6-7-8 hitters in the lineup picked up the rest of the lineup tonight. They were on base, I think eight times tonight with a couple of homers."

Curtis Granderson opened up the game with a home run on the second pitch he saw from starter Rich Hill.

Curtis Granderson belts a solo home run to right field to lead off the top of the 1st inning, giving the Mets an early 1-0 lead!!! #LGM pic.twitter.com/C0Rp2IUmIR— TheRenderMLB (@TheRenderMLB) June 22, 2017

The long ball was the first leadoff homer this season for Granderson and 43^rd of his MLB career, one shy of Ian Kinsler for most among active players.

It was also the only run New York would score.

Hill got the run back in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly to left -center that scored Joc Pederson from third.

Hill got himself into some trouble in the top of the fourth when he loaded the bases for Jose Reyes. However, Hill struck out the side to escape the inning without any damage.

"He regrouped and picked us up," Roberts said of Hill striking out the side to get out of the inning. "That was a big spot right there and I think it took the wind out of their [The Mets] sails."

The fourth inning ultimately became the turning point in the game, as the Dodgers kept New York scoreless and then hung four on the Metropolitans in the bottom half of the inning.

"It's been a lot of fun to watch this offense,"Hill said of the bottom half of the fourth inning. "What guys are doing on a nightly basis is really special. Historically, it's a moment in time you have to appreciate. So to get out of that inning and swing the momentum back into our court was big."

It was a tough pill to swallow for Mets' starter Tyler Pill when he intentionally walked Joc Pederson to put runners on first and second for Yasiel Puig.

Puig promptly sent a slider into orbit for his 13^th home run of the season, giving the Dodgers a 5-1 lead.

During Puig's home run trot around the bases, a handful of players on the Mets including first baseman Wilmer Flores and catcher Travis d'Arnaud were upset with the slow pace in which Puig proceeded to round the bases.

"I don’t think he knew what’s happening in respect to the game’’ Flores said, referring to the Mets troubles. "We’re playing horrible right now. He disrespected us. There are other ways to enjoy a home run." 

Puig had his own response to Flores' comments:

"We've been hitting a lot of home runs. If that's the way he feels, that might be a result of them not playing so well," Puig said in response. 

After the inning, as Puig walked out to right field, he was stopped by fellow Latino players, Yoenis Cespedes and Jose Reyes who talked to him about his actions after the home run.

"After I talked to Cespedes, he tried to give me some advice and to run a little bit faster," said Puig of the encounter. "I don't look at it the same way he does, but it is what it is."

Pill (0-3) remains winless on the season after surrendering six runs (five earned) on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts for the Mets.

Grandal homered in the bottom of the sixth and the eighth as he recorded his eighth multi-homer game of his career and first since Opening Day against the San Diego Padres.

Hill (4-3) had a bounce back performance after he got pounded in Cleveland last week. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in five innings.

"I was more consistent with my delivery and I didn't try to do too much," said Hill of his start. "Really, the biggest thing was staying as direct as possible to the plate. You can't sacrifice location for stuff." 

After the leadoff home run to Granderson, Hill and four different Dodgers' relievers combined to keep the Mets scoreless over the next 26 outs before Granderson delivered his second RBI of the night with a double off the right field wall.

Granderson finished 3-for-5 with a double, home run, and two RBI. 

With their eight runs on Wednesday, the Dodgers have now scored eight or more runs in five consecutive games, the first time they've accomplished that feat since 1945. 

The Dodgers surge has put them back atop the N.L. West as they collide with Colorado for a three-game series over the weekend.

Up Next:

Steven Matz pitches for the Mets on Thursday opposite Hyun-Jin Ryu as Los Angeles looks to complete the four-game sweep of New York.