Kemp tries to continue hot start in Houston
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Matt Kemp was at it again Saturday night, setting a Dodgers record by recording his ninth homer of the year in a 5-1 win over Houston Saturday night.
Kemp, who has hit safely in 14 of his 15 games this season including 10 in a row, became the fastest Dodger ever to reach nine homers.
The Dodgers will conclude their three-game set this afternoon with Chad Billingsley trying to stay unbeaten after four starts. He didn't get a decision in a six-inning start when the Dodgers lost at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The right-hander is 4-3 with a 4.29 ERA in seven starts against the Astros.
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Countering for Houston will be Wandy Rodriguez, who has taken a couple of hard-luck defeats despite pitching well. The lefty lost at Washington on Tuesday after giving up just five hits and a run over seven innings. In 11 games (10 starts), he's 4-4 with a 2.45 ERA vs. the Dodgers.
NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw picked up his first victory of the year last night. Kershaw (1-0), who allowed three hits and fanned nine over seven shutout innings, became the first Dodger to win nine straight decisions since Billingsley went 9-0 in 12 games (11 starts) from Aug.30, 2008-May 3, 2009. The last loss for Kershaw came Aug. 7 at Arizona.
Houston native James Loney also went deep for the Dodgers.
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Andre Ethier hit a two-run single in the eighth inning. Kemp and Ethier lead the majors with 22 and 21 RBI, respectively.
Kyle Weiland (0-3) surrendered six hits and three runs while fanning six over seven innings.
J.D. Martinez knocked in the lone run for Houston, which lost for the sixth time in seven contests.
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The Dodgers have won their last six meetings with the Astros.