Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy (right) takes San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Wood (left) deep for a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning for the go ahead run at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Thu May 27, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, May 27, 2021

The San Francisco Giants encountered the red-hot bat of Max Muncy on Thursday, and the Dodger veteran proceeded to hit one of the five home runs in the game, as Los Angeles edged the Giants 4-3 at Dodger Stadium.

Muncy, who is hitting .357 in May, connected for a go-ahead solo home run off Alex Wood to lead off the sixth inning – his 11th of the season. He also homered against San Francisco last weekend.

The loss snapped San Francisco’s seven-game road winning streak. Los Angeles has defeated the Giants in all four of their meetings this season.

In this contest, the Dodgers used the bullpen concept, with David Price as the opening pitcher. Price struck out five in 2 2/3 innings, and logged career strikeout No 2,000 in the third when he fanned Curt Casali.

Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth to earn save No. 12.

The Giants tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth on Donovan Solano’s two-run home run to left off Victor Gonzalez (2-0). Gonzalez gave up two runs on two hits in one inning, and Solano’s shot was the first he surrendered this season.

Los Angeles opened the scoring in the bottom of the third, when Mookie Betts hit a slide-in triple with two outs ahead of Justin Turner’s ninth homer of the season, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Evan Longoria cut the Giants’ deficit to 2-1 with a two-out home run off Joe Kelly. DJ Peters’ first major league home run extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1 in the fifth.

Wood (5-2) gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, while striking out eight without a walk.

Off the field, the Giants placed Darin Ruf (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled LaMonte Wade Jr. from Triple-A Sacramento. Right-hander Matt Wisler was reinstated from the bereavement list, and left-hander Sam Selman was optioned to the River Cats.

On Friday, Anthony DeSclafini (4-2, 3.54) starts for San Francisco, facing the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler (3-0, 2.78).