San Francisco Giants pitcher Scott Kazmir throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers line up in the first inning on Sat May 22, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-When Scott Kazmir last took the mound as a pitcher in the major leaguer, it was for the Los Angeles Dodgers and it came during the Presidency of Barack Obama.

Kazmir pitched for the Dodgers during the 2016 season, but was out of the game until 2020, when he took the mound for an independent popup league called the Constellation Energy League that was run by Roger Clemens and Greg Swindell. The 37-year old Kazmir pitched for the Reyes del Club, that was managed by former Major League pitcher Dave Eiland.

After Kazmir got the first two outs of the first inning, Max Muncy launched his ninth home run of the season, that landed in McCovey Cove and it helped the Dodgers defeat the San Francisco Giants 6-3 before a crowd of 13,660 at Oracle Park.

Kazmir ended up going four innings, allowing one run on two hits, and striking out two. Muncy also singled off of Kazmir in the top of the fourth inning with one out.

Walker Buehler was cruising for the Dodgers until he got into a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Brandon Crawford led off the inning with a double, then after Brandon Belt stuck out for the first out of the inning, Evan Longoria then hit a bloop single that sent Crawford to third base.

Alex Dickerson then got the Giants on the board, as he singled in Crawford, which brought Mauricio Dubon to the plate as the tying run, but Buehler was able to strikeout Dubon and then ended the inning, when struck out pinch-hitter Darin Ruf to end the threat.

Buehler went seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking one and striking out five and raised his record to 3-0 on the season.

The Dodgers got their second run of the game, when Austin Barnes hit his first home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning that stretched the lead up to 2-0.

They added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning, as Max Beaty doubled into the right field corner and when Mike Yastrzemski was unable to handle the ball for an error, Gavin Lux, after he led off the inning with a single. Beaty scored the second run of the inning, as DJ Peters singled.

The Dodgers put the game away in the top of the eighth inning, as they tacked on two more runs, when Albert Pujols singled to center field that scored Justin Turner and sent Muncy to second base. Muncy singled for his third hit of the afternoon in four at-bats.

Buster Posey tried to make a game of it in the bottom of the eighth inning, as he hit his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot that cut the Dodgers lead down to 6-3. Yastrzemski walked just prior to the Posey home run.

NOTES: Prior to the game, the contract for Kazmir was selected from Sacramento, while Sam Selman was optioned to Sacramento and Braden Bishop was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani will take the mound in the series finale for the Giants, while Julio Urias will toe the rubber for the Dodgers.