Grandal drives in 8 runs, as Dodgers rout Brewers in finale

Grandal drives in 8 runs, as Dodgers rout Brewers in finale

Published May. 7, 2015 5:35 p.m. ET
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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Going into the sixth inning, Yasmani Grandal was having a rather nice game -- a single, plus a pair of walks.

After that, he turned into a regular Babe Ruth.

Grandal drove in eight runs, hitting two homers and reaching base six times Thursday to power the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Milwaukee Brewers 14-4.

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It was tied at 3 through five innings and Grandal had zero RBIs up to that point. He had totaled two home runs and just four RBIs this year before breaking loose at Miller Park.

"I want to get those RBIs, so I was pressing a lot," he said.

Grandal's two-run single capped a four-run sixth inning. He hit a three-run homer into the second deck in right field in the eighth and launched another three-run shot in the ninth.

Acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with San Diego in December, Grandal said he had been trying almost too hard to make a good impression on his new teammates.

Grandal became the fifth player in team history to get at least eight RBIs in a game. He became the first to do it for the Dodgers since James Loney drove in nine against Colorado in 2006.

"He's been swinging the bat well for a few days now. It seems like he's kind of caught fire," manager Don Mattingly said.

Starting in a day game after A.J. Ellis caught the previous night, Grandal went 4 for 4 with two singles and two walks.

Grandal's previous career high for RBIs was five, done last Sept. 25 when he homered twice against San Francisco.

Alex Guerrero also homered for the Dodgers, his sixth.

Milwaukee, with the worst record in the majors, split a four-game series with the NL West leaders after Craig Counsell replaced fired manager Ron Roenicke.

Carlos Frias (3-0) won for the second time in as many starts. He gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out six and walking one.

"I was able to control both sides of the plate," he said.

When asked if his two starts should earn him a regular spot in the Dodgers rotation, Frias said: "I just get ready to do anything they tell me to do to help the team win. My goal is to stay here."

Mike Fiers (1-4) was lifted in the sixth after walking Guerrero and giving up a triple to Andre Ethier. Fiers allowed five runs on five hits and five walks, and fanned eight.

Adam Lind hit a solo home run and an RBI single for the Brewers. Adrian Gonzalez blooped a two-run single for the Dodgers.

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