Van Slyke's three-run blast lifts Dodgers over Marlins in 9th

Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Scott Van Slyke capped off his solid game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins in the opener of a three-game set.

Van Slyke finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and also threw out a player at the plate, while Justin Turner and Joc Pederson also drove in runs for the Dodgers, who won their fourth straight game.

J.P. Howell (2-1) earned the win after recording the final out of the ninth. Starter Zack Greinke surrendered just one run on six hits with five strikeouts over seven frames.

Christian Yelich hit a two-run homer and Marcell Ozuna added a solo blast for the Marlins, who have lost three of their last four games.

"Any time you have leads late and can't hold them, it's tough," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "When you have late leads you have to lock them down."

After the Marlins went ahead with two runs in the top of the ninth, Yasmani Grandal worked a one-out walk against Steve Cishek (1-3) and Andre Either singled before Van Slyke ended the game by hammering a 1-0 slider over the wall in center.

"As soon as I hit it, I knew it was out," said Van Slyke. "Best night I've had in the big leagues."

Los Angeles opened the scoring in the fourth. Howie Kendrick cracked a one-out double, Adrian Gonzalez followed with a single and Kendrick came around after Turner grounded into a force out.

Van Slyke led off the fifth with a double and moved to third on Greinke's sacrifice bunt. Following a Pederson walk, Van Slyke rounded third on Jimmy Rollins' liner to right, but Giancarlo Stanton made a catch and threw to first to double up Pederson and keep it a one-run game.

In the seventh, Ozuna tied the game at 1-1 by smashing a first-pitch fastball to left-center field with one out. Yelich and Michael Morse each singled and J.T. Realmuto walked to load the bases.

Van Slyke caught Adeiny Hechavarria's liner in left and launched a throw to home plate, where Grandal tagged out Yelich to end the frame.

The Dodgers, however, got the run right back in the home half. Van Slyke singled to left and moved to second on Yelich's fielding error. Two batters later, Pederson singled on a grounder up the middle, plating Van Slyke for a 2-1 lead.

Ozuna drew a one-out walk off Yimi Garcia in the ninth and came home on the very next pitch, a 93 mph fastball that Yelich sent over the wall in left- center to put the Marlins in front.

Morse and Realmuto each singled and Ichiro Suzuki walked to load the bases with two outs, but Howell got Dee Gordon to line out to left to close out the frame.

Game Notes

Miami starter Tom Koehler gave up one run on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts over five innings ... The Los Angeles bullpen had not allowed a run in its previous 10 home games before Yelich's two-run blast. It was the first time it allowed a run since April 14 vs. Seattle ... Cishek blew his fourth save of the season.