Watch: Joc Pederson’s Go-Ahead HR Lifts Dodgers To 6-3 Win Vs Mets, Four-Game Sweep

Joc Pederson broke a tie to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and propel the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-3 home victory over the New York Mets on Thursday night to cap a four-game sweep.

Mets Sweep Dodgers In Four Games for the first time since 1979

The 25-year-old center fielder — who came off the disabled list earlier this month — hit the first pitch of the frame off Mets right-hander Paul Sewald and into the right-field seats to put the Dodgers up 4-3. Sewald had just entered the game at that point.

With the win, the Dodgers earned their first four-game sweep of the Mets since 1979.

Dave Roberts’ team has now extended its season-high win streak to seven and home streak to eight. The Dodgers smacked 15 home runs in their series against the Mets, the most they’ve struck (or the most their opponents have allowed) in a series. Los Angeles has also homered in 14 straight games.

“Now, where the air is thin, the ball is flying, it’s not as heavy,” said Roberts. “I joked with Corey [Seager], you better get the ball in the air now, because in about two months the air gets heavy again. Everyone’s aware of it. We’re elevating and good things are happening.”

The Mets, meanwhile, have dropped seven of their last eight games.

Following Pederson’s big hit in the seventh, the Dodgers added key runs when Jerry Blevins walked winning Dodgers reliever Pedro Baez (1-0) and catcher Austin Barnes with the bases loaded.

Dodgers starters Hyun-Jin Ryu and his Mets counterpart Steven Matz both allowed two home runs for no-decisions.

Curtis Granderson gave the Mets a 1-0 lead early in the night, but then Justin Turner answered with a two-out solo homer in the third to tie it. Cody Bellinger then hit a ground-rule double and Enrique Hernandez smacked an opposite-field two-run blast in the bottom of the frame to put the Dodgers up 3-1.

“We’re probably the hottest team in baseball right now,” said Hernandez, who has seven homers this season and 34 hits (25 of which are extra-base). “Those guys right now are not playing the best baseball right now. When we’re hot and we have a team coming in town that’s not playing the best, you not only want to win the series, you want to sweep them.”

The Mets tied the game off Chris Hatcher in the sixth inning on a one-out walk to Jay Bruce and a two-out RBI to Lucas Duda after the Dodgers made defensive errors.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen recorded a four-out save (his sixth of the year) and converted his 16th save overall in as many chances. After 13 straight scoreless appearances, the righty’s ERA is 0.87

“The thing we’re so excited about is the willingness and unselfishness to do whatever is needed every single day,” Roberts said of Jansen’s workload this season.

The Dodgers next host the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series on Friday at 10:10 pm EST. Lefty Alex Wood will start for the Dodgers. Wood got an extra day of rest after delivering eight dominant innings in a 10-2 road victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.

The Mets also start a three-game series on Friday, though they will travel to face the San Francisco Giants. Seth Lugo will take the mound for the Mets in the opener, which begins at 7:15 pm EST. New York is also expected to activate shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera before the game.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers makes a play on a bloop single from Curtis Granderson #3 of the New York Mets during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on June 21, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena