Mookie Betts homers twice and Dodgers go back-to-back twice in 8th inning of 8-2 win over Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts gestures after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts homered twice and the Los Angeles Dodgers went deep four times in the eighth inning of an 8-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Max Muncy and Kyle Tucker connected back-to-back to open the eighth. Betts and Will Smith then homered back-to-back with two outs in a five-run inning as the NL West champions rolled in a series opener between old rivals.
Tyler Glasnow (5-1) allowed two runs and three hits in six innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts. Los Angeles (94-60) is two games behind NL Central champion Milwaukee for the best record in the majors and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
The home run barrage occurred on the 20th anniversary of the Dodgers' famous four-plus-one game. Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson hit four consecutive homers in the bottom of the ninth inning — the fourth time in major league history the feat had been accomplished.
Nomar Garciaparra then launched a two-run homer in the 10th for an 11-10 victory over San Diego after Los Angeles trailed 9-5 when Kent came to bat leading off the ninth.
Philip Abner gave up all five runs in the eighth, which began with the Dodgers leading 3-2. He became the second reliever in Giants history to serve up four homers in one inning.
The Giants (64-90) lost their 90th game, their most since 2017 when they dropped 98.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts scores after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Muncy’s shot traveled 420 feet and Tucker’s went 403 feet, both to right-center. Betts also homered leading off the game.
Josue De Paula, a 21-year-old Dodgers rookie finishing his first week in the major leagues, lined a two-out double to right field for the go-ahead run in the sixth. He also singled and scored the tying run on Teoscar Hernández’s RBI single in the fifth.
Edwin Díaz struck out two in a scoreless ninth in his return from the injured list.
The Giants tied the game at 1 on Jung Hoo Lee's leadoff homer in the second and went ahead 2-1 on Jonah Cox's RBI single with two outs in the third.
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts, right, hits a solo home run as San Francisco Giants pitcher Cesar Perdomo, left, and catcher Drew Cavanaugh watch during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Mark J. Terrill
Giants starter Cesar Perdomo gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings with one strikeout. Jason Foley (3-2) took the loss in relief.
Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge was a late scratch with a head laceration.
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The Giants had yet to announce a starter for Saturday against Dodgers LHP Tarik Skubal (10-7, 2.70 ERA).
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This story corrects the sequence of Dodgers home runs in the second paragraph to show Will Smith hit their fourth homer of the eighth inning.
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