LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Ryan Pepiot celebrated his 25th birthday in style Sunday, getting the best of a matchup with All-Star and Cy Young Award candidate Sandy Alcantara to lead a 10-3 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Pepiot, in just his seventh career start, held the Marlins to two runs on four hits as Los Angeles won its ninth consecutive home game. Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy hit a home runs and Will Smith drove in three runs for the Dodgers.
In a season where he has dominated opponents, Alcantara was no match for the Dodgers. Alcantara’s 3 2/3 innings were a season low, while his six runs and 10 hits allowed were season highs. The right-hander had one walk and five strikeouts.
On July 19, Alcantara threw a scoreless second inning at Dodger Stadium in his second-All-Star Game appearance.
Mookie Betts led off the game with a single and scored on Smith's two-out hit. The Dodgers made it 3-0 in the second when Bellinger followed a two-out triple from Joey Gallo with his 17th homer.
Bellinger entered with just two hits in his previous 22 at-bats and sat out three of the prior six games.
The Dodgers made it 4-0 in the third on an RBI single from Muncy.
Miami's JJ Bleday walked to lead off the fourth before Lewin Diaz hit his first home run of the season.
Smith's ground-rule double in the fourth gave the Dodgers a 6-2 advantage and ended Alcantara's game.
Alcantara (11-6) has now given up at least four runs in two of his last three starts and is 2-3 in his last eight starts.
After struggling with his control at the start of his major league career, Pepiot (2-0) gave up two walks with seven strikeouts over six innings. He got some help from his defense with Gallo throwing out a runner at home plate from left field in the first inning and making a diving catch in the third.
The Dodgers made it 7-2 in the seventh inning on Muncy’s 16th home run of the season. Bleday hit his fourth home run of the season for the Marlins in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (back) will not have to go on a minor league rehab assignment, according to manager Dave Roberts. Kershaw has a bullpen session and a simulated game scheduled before he is activated from the IL. … RHP Blake Treinen (shoulder), who hasn’t pitched since April 14, is targeting a Sept. 2 return.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez (7-8, 3.83 ERA) will pitch in the opener of a three-game series at Oakland on Monday.
Dodgers: LHP Julio Urias (13-6, 2.40) will take the mound in the opener of a three-game home series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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