LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tony Gonsolin combined with four pitchers on a four-hitter in his 16th win, tying the major league lead, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 10-1 on Tuesday night.
The rubber match between the Brewers and Dodgers on WKTY begins with pregame at 7:25 p.m. Wednesday. Tune in on 96.7 FM / 580 AM
Trayce Thompson blasted a three-run homer in the second and drove in another run as part of a 2-for-3 performance. Freddie Freeman went 3 for 5 with four RBIs in helping the Dodgers bounce back after being shut out at home for the first time this season in a 4-0 loss in the series opener Monday.
“We were aggressive early in counts,” Freeman said. “That was our plan today: Attack and attack early.”
Gonsolin (16-1) tied Houston’s Justin Verlander, who earned his 16th win earlier Tuesday.
“Tony was good, not great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He just couldn’t find that rhythm.”
Gonsolin, the NL’s ERA leader at 2.10, outdueled current NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes in a first-time matchup of former Saint Mary’s College teammates.
“It felt like a Friday or Saturday ballgame at school,” Gonsolin said. “It was really cool to go out there and have him toe the mound on the other side of the ball.”
Gonsolin allowed one run and three hits, struck out three and walked two.
“It was a weird day for me,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff, so I really tip the cap to the defense. All the position guys did a fantastic job defensively and offensively, obviously.”
Evan Phillips, David Price, Chris Martin and infielder Hanser Alberto combined to allow only one hit over the final four innings.
Burnes (9-6) got tagged for a season-high seven runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings, equaling his shortest outing of the season. The right-hander struck out a season-low three and walked three.
“Scoring 10 runs in a game started by Corbin Burnes and Sandy, it’s a little unexpected even for us,” Freeman said. “Ten runs is a lot. Those guys are really good pitchers.”
Burnes walked Joey Gallo and Cody Bellinger to set up Thompson’s 423-foot shot to the left-field pavilion with two outs, extending the lead to 4-0.
The Dodgers struck again with two outs in the fourth when they sent eight batters to the plate and tacked on three runs. Thompson and Trea Turner had RBI singles to chase Burnes. He was replaced by Brent Suter, who gave up Freeman’s RBI single that made it 7-0.
Freeman’s RBI single gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the first. He leads the majors with 156 hits this season.
Milwaukee’s only run came on Jonathan Davis’ RBI single in the fifth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: INF Mike Brosseau placed on IL with right oblique strain.
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery and had his flexor tendon repaired. He’s likely to miss next season while rehabilitating.
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The Brewers had backup catcher Victor Caratini pitch the eighth. He averaged in the mid-60s when he wasn’t walking Thompson and hitting Mookie Betts, who arrived at first base smiling. Turner and Freeman had RBI doubles that made it 10-1.
The Dodgers went with Alberto in the ninth. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the fifth and doubled. On the mound, he retired the side on seven pitches that induced flyouts.
“He’s making this pitching thing look too easy,” Roberts said.
DEFENSIVE GEMS
Right fielder Betts made a stellar catch on a drive hit by Luis Urías before bouncing off the wall to end the second.
Cody Bellinger robbed Rowdy Tellez at the center-field wall in a 1-2-3 sixth. Milwaukee’s Andrew McCutchen made a diving catch on Cody Bellinger to end the seventh.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Adrian Houser (4-8, 4.72 ERA) returns to the rotation after being sidelined with a strained forearm flexor since early June.
Dodgers: LHP Andrew Heaney (1-1, 1.77) makes his ninth start of the season in the series finale. He is coming off a loss at Milwaukee last week.
TOP PHOTO: Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chris Taylor, left, steals second base ahead of a throw to Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames (27) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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