Astros 3-Hit The Dodgers 14-0
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Josh Reddick's three-run homer highlighted Houston's seven-run eighth, and the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 14-0 on Saturday night for their fourth straight win.
Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. left after 60 pitches because of right elbow discomfort. He allowed two hits over four innings in his first start at Dodger Stadium since Game 7 of last year's World Series, won by the Astros.
The Dodgers were limited to three hits in losing their fifth straight regular-season game to Houston since 2015.
The AL West-leading Astros pounded out 13 hits and batted around twice in the game, including the eighth when John Axford was charged with six runs in a rocky Dodgers debut after being acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline. Axford, a 10-year veteran, failed to record a strikeout on 27 pitches and hit left fielder Tony Kemp on his right foot, forcing him to leave the game.
Jake Marisnick ran for Kemp in the eighth and homered in the ninth. Houston fans began chanting loudly and the remaining Dodgers fans from the sellout crowd of 53,119 booed in an attempt to drown them out.
Brad Peacock (2-4) got the win with two innings of relief.
Marwin Gonzalez homered on the first pitch from Kenta Maeda (7-7) leading off the second for the Astros' first run.
Houston batted around in the sixth, extending its lead to 5-0.
Yuli Gurriel got things started with a two-run double that scored Reddick, who hit a ground-rule double to deep left center, and Alex Bregman, who walked.
After Maeda intentionally walked Gonzalez, Tyler White doubled to center field with the ball eluding a diving Chris Taylor. Gurriel scored and Gonzalez moved to third.
Martin Maldonado followed with a sacrifice to J.T. Chargois, who relieved Maeda, and Gonzalez scored for a 5-0 lead.
The Astros got to Axford right away in the eighth. Maldonado's ground-rule double scored two runs, pinch-hitter Evan Gattis added a sacrifice fly and George Springer had an RBI double for his lone hit in six at-bats.
Reddick's three-run drive to right field came off Zac Rosscup, just off the disabled list, and made it 12-0. Reddick played for the Dodgers for the last part of the 2016 season.
Maeda gave up five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Japanese right-hander struck out four and walked two.
Houston won the series opener 2-1 on Friday and could complete a sweep on Sunday when newly acquired reliever Roberto Osuna is expected to be activated. He is coming off a 75-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic violence policy.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: Osuna pitched one scoreless inning for Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, allowing one hit with one strikeout. ... INF Jose Altuve (right knee soreness) did some running and baseball activity. "A step forward but not a ton," manager A.J. Hinch said. "The key is the soreness after the activity."
Dodgers: Placed LHP Alex Wood on 10-day DL with left adductor tendinitis. ... RHP Ross Stripling (right big toe inflammation) tossed 30 pitches in a two-inning simulated game. He's expected to rejoin the team either Thursday or Friday in Colorado.
UP NEXT
Former UCLA star Gerrit Cole (10-3, 2.55 ERA) starts the series finale for the Astros. Dodgers rookie right-hander Walker Buehler (4-4, 3.65 ERA) has never faced Houston.
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