LOS ANGELES ― This hasn’t been Max Muncy’s year.
Regardless of how it ends, he’ll always have Tuesday night.
Muncy hit two home runs and the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-3, before an announced crowd of 39,752 at Dodger Stadium. It was Muncy’s first multi-homer game of 2022, and his three RBIs were his most in a month.
Between Muncy’s two home runs, and a three-run shot by Joey Gallo in the second inning, the Dodgers collected all their runs by virtue of the home run.
That was enough to support starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (14-3), who allowed three runs in seven innings.
The win reduced the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the National League West to seven games. The Dodgers improved the best record in baseball to 93-42, and mathematically eliminated the Giants (65-69) from repeating as NL West champions.
With former Dodger Alex Wood on the injured list, the Giants turned to a bullpen game to try to steal back-to-back wins at Dodger Stadium. Instead, the game got out of hand quickly.
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Gallo’s fourth home run as a Dodger, in his 24th game since a deadline-day trade, came on a center-cut 3-and-1 fastball from lefty Jarlin Garcia in the second inning.
The Dodgers were still leading 3-1 in the third when Muncy scorched the first pitch he saw – another Garcia fastball – over the fence in right field for a two-run homer.
Muncy capped the scoring with a solo home run in the sixth inning, an opposite-field shot, off right-hander Dominic Leone in the sixth inning.
Chris Martin threw a scoreless eighth inning, and Craig Kimbrel recorded his 22nd save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Muncy finished 3 for 4, lifting his batting average for the season from .186 to .192.
More to come on this story.