Mookie Betts Powers Dodgers Past Giants in Key Late-Season Win

Mookie Betts delivered a vintage performance at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, collecting four hits and driving in two runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 10-4. The victory gave the Dodgers a second straight win in the weekend series and kept them four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the No. 2 seed in the National League.

Betts reached base in all five plate appearances, marking his first perfect on-base night since April 16, 2024. He hit three doubles, his first three-extra-base-hit game since July 7, 2023, and has now recorded at least three hits in three consecutive games, matching the longest streak of his career.

The win was the Dodgers’ third straight and improved their record to 93-58. With the postseason less than two weeks away, the Dodgers are jockeying for seeding position behind the top-seeded Phillies.

Betts carrying the offense in September

Betts has been the Dodgers’ most productive hitter in September. Entering Saturday, he was slashing .397/.493/.794 with a team-leading 20 RBIs this month. Over his last 39 games, his OPS stands at 1.008, a stretch that manager Dave Roberts pointed to as a sign of the team’s offensive potential.

“I think for me, it’s being able to put teams away when we have opportunities,” Roberts said after the game, echoing comments he has made over the past three months about the offense’s inconsistency.

The Dodgers have struggled at times to produce runs in bunches this season, but Saturday was a different story. They scored in four different innings, including a five-run fifth that broke the game open.

Key facts

Skubal grinds through five innings

Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal went five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. It was his highest run total since June 24, but the offense’s support meant he still picked up his 16th win of the season.

Skubal struck out five and walked two, throwing 94 pitches. The left-hander has been a key part of the Dodgers rotation all season, and the team’s ability to win even when he is not at his sharpest is a positive sign heading into October.

The Giants scored two runs in the first inning and added single runs in the fourth and fifth, but the Dodgers answered each time. The bullpen combination of Michael Grove, Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol combined for four scoreless innings to close it out.

Series sweep in reach

The Dodgers can complete a three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon. A win would push their lead over the Braves to five games in the race for the No. 2 seed, which comes with home-field advantage in the National League Division Series.

The Giants, meanwhile, have fallen to 73-78 and are playing out the string in a disappointing season. For the Dodgers, every game carries weight as they fine-tune their roster and rotation for a deep playoff run.

Roberts has emphasized the importance of momentum entering the postseason. With Betts swinging the bat like this, the Dodgers have their most dangerous weapon operating at full capacity at exactly the right time.

Source: MLB Official News RSS – https://www.mlb.com/news/mookie-betts-has-4-hits-as-dodgers-beat-giants