Mookie Betts homered twice to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 3-1 victory against the Miami Marlins in the second game of a doubleheader sweep on Saturday night.
Betts’ two-run single capped a three-run eighth inning for the Dodgers, who won the first game 3-1.
Betts toasted Lakers star LeBron James, who was seated in a suite with his family on his bobblehead night, after his solo home run in the third inning of the night game. Betts greeted James as he passed home plate for his 34th homer of the season in the fifth inning, and the NBA star tipped his cap to him.
Betts has five multi-homer games this season, giving him a total of 28 for his career.
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The NL West-leading Dodgers rebounded nicely from a Friday night 11-3 loss that halted an 11-game winning streak. In August, they went back on track with two wins to improve to 17-2.
Julio Uras (11-6) struck out five batters and surrendered only one run (a single homer to Josh Bell in the first inning).
Brusdar Graterol pitched an eventful ninth inning, allowing two hits before breaking up the jam and earning his sixth save. Amed Rosario made a terrific diving play for an out, and Kiké Hernández made a throw from deep to third to get pinch-hitter Jesus Sanchez out to end the game.
Braxton Garrett (7-4) pitched six innings, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out six and walking none.
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Miami squandered Eury Pérez’s outstanding first-game performance, in which the 20-year-old struck out ten batters while throwing six innings of two-hit ball. Pérez became the youngest pitcher with double-digit strikeouts in a game since Felix Hernandez of Seattle struck out 11 against Kansas City on Aug. 15, 2005, when he was 19 years old.
Miami took a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning when Bryan De La Cruz struck an RBI double off Ryan Pepiot. But things swiftly unraveled from there.
After drawing a one-out walk against David Robertson (4-4), James Outman advanced to third on Hernández’s single. Outman scored the game-tying run on Austin Barnes’ sacrifice bunt when first baseman Bell’s throw from the mound got past catcher Jacob Stallings, allowing Hernández to advance to third and Barnes to second.
Betts then hit a single to center. Max Muncy was intentionally walked to load the bases after Freddie Freeman doubled and Will Smith popped out. However, Rosario grounded out to finish the inning.
Ryan Yarbrough (6-5) earned the win with two perfect innings of work, while Evan Phillips recorded three outs for his 19th save.
Major League Baseball scheduled the doubleheader due of Hurricane Hilary, which is expected to make landfall in the southwest United States as a tropical storm. The double bill replaced the previously scheduled series conclusion on Sunday.
KING OF GOOD WILL
Dodgers president Stan Kasten handed James a $100,000 check for his LeBron James Family Foundation.
TRAINER’S ROOM
RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers According to manager Dave Roberts, Tony Gonsolin (elbow) is unlikely to return this season. Gonsolin, who gave up five home runs before admitting he had been pitching with an elbow problem, will have more testing next week to evaluate the extent of the injury.
UP NEXT
RHP Jonny Cueto (0-3, 5.57) is scheduled to start Monday in San Diego for the Marlins.
LHP Clayton Kershaw (11-4, 2.48) will face former teammate Noah Syndergaard in Cleveland on Tuesday.