Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger celebrates his two-run home run in the dugout during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
From left to right, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trayce Thompson, Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts celebrate a win over the Miami Marlins in a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Gavin Lux (9) is tagged out at third base by Miami Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas while trying for a triple during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins center fielder JJ Bleday leaps but cannot catch a solo home run by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts flies out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (5) gestures to the dugout after sliding safely into second base with a double next to Miami Marlins third baseman Jon Berti during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy points skyward at home plate after his solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara, left, talks with catcher Jacob Stallings on the mound after giving up a single to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins’ Lewin Diaz (34) celebrates his two-run home run at home plate with JJ Bleday, center, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, right, celebrates next to Miami Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, left, celebrates next to Miami Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, left, celebrates his two-run home run with Joey Gallo during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger follows through on a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger connects for a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, right, steals second base against Miami Marlins second baseman Joey Wendle during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts waves after scoring on a single by Will Smith during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, left, tags out Miami Marlins’ Joey Wendle (18) as Wendle tried to score on a single by Brian Anderson during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith, right, tags out Miami Marlins’ Joey Wendle (18) as Wendle tried to score on a single by Brian Anderson during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Miami Marlins’ Joey Wendle, right, steals second past a tag-attempt by Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot throws to a Miami Marlins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES ― Joey Gallo’s time as a Dodger might be short, but he nearly packed a season’s worth of highlights into nine innings Sunday against the Miami Marlins.
Gallo went 2 for 3 with a triple and made two outstanding plays in left field, punctuating a 10-3 win and a series sweep before an announced crowd of 42,125 at Dodger Stadium.
In the first inning, Gallo threw a strike to catcher Will Smith from left field to retire Joey Wendle trying to score from second base on a single. In the third inning, he made a head-first diving catch on the chalk line to rob Wendle again.
“It was huge,” Dodgers starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot said of the outfield assist, Gallo’s first as a Dodger and his third this season. “Definitely a momentum-swinger, and kudos to Joey. He made a great play, then a diving catch later, and a big triple as well. Great game from him.”
In 12 games since joining the Dodgers, Gallo is hitting .267 with three home runs and five RBIs. Five of his eight hits have gone for extra bases. Signed to a one-year, $10.3 million contract last winter by the New York Yankees, Gallo was traded to the Dodgers for a minor league pitcher after batting .159 in 82 games.
Essentially a reserve outfielder, Gallo has not batted higher than sixth since the trade. Sunday, he batted eighth against Marlins All-Star Sandy Alcantara (11-6), who began the day with the lowest earned-run average in the National League. The pressure of expectations did not follow Gallo from the Bronx.
Since the trade, the Yankees have the worst record in the American League (4-13). The Dodgers (14-3) have the best record in the NL.
“There’s continued growth and comfort in what he’s doing in the batter’s box,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Gallo. “He and the hitting coaches have been relentless trying to do this in real time during the season, trying to tighten up the swing mechanics. He’s bought in. Every day it seems like he’s getting more and more consistent. He’s taking better at-bats. He’s taking better swings.
“I certainly believes it validates and gives him more confidence.”
Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy hit home runs for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman and Smith each went 3 for 5. The Dodgers never trailed Sunday. In fact, they only trailed for half an inning in the three-game series, in which they outscored Miami (52-69) 19-4.
The rookie outdueled Alcantara, who was making his first start at Dodger Stadium since the All-Star Game. The right-hander allowed six runs on 10 hits ― both season highs ― in 3 ⅔ innings.
“A guy like this, you’re going to see him in the postseason,” Roberts said of Alcantara. “You’re going to have to beat ones and twos. To beat a guy like this says a lot about how good we can be.”
The Dodgers (84-36) will carry an eight-game home winning streak into their three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers beginning Monday.
Craig Kimbrel will be the Dodgers’ closer for the series opener, Roberts said, but not necessarily every game thereafter.
After not pitching the previous two nights, Kimbrel pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning against the Marlins. Roberts said the priority now is to give Kimbrel regular work rather than using him as a dedicated closer.
“Clearly we’re going with the approach of trying to get him consistent work,” Roberts said. “He’s a guy that’s closed many games, the biggest of (high) leverage (situations). My talks with him, it’s more of getting him consistently out there so he gets the feel. Then when it gets to a save situation he can fall back on what he’s been doing as opposed to picking save spots in particular and only using him in those situations.
“We’ve got his buy-in, and today was a really efficient, really good outing for him.”
Kimbrel has allowed at least one run in four of his last seven appearances. Only three of those were save situations, and one came in extra innings, when a runner began the inning on second base. Evan Phillips recorded the save in a one-run game Friday against the Marlins.
