Dodgers complete sweep of Braves

[June 06, 2016]  LOS ANGELES -- A day after the Los Angeles Dodgers let their pitching do the talking, their bats exploded in a 12-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of Atlanta and earned their second consecutive home sweep, as they took three in a row against the Cincinnati Reds from May 23-25.

Rookie shortstop Corey Seager went 3-for-5 with his two home runs to bring his homer total for the series to five. Seager hit more homers this weekend than any player on the Braves roster -- except Freddie Freeman (nine) -- has all season.

Seager now has 13 home runs on the season and trails only Colorado's Trevor Story (15) for the rookie lead. Seager is tied for ninth in the league.

"This was a big day," he said. "It's one of those that we didn't have a slow start. It was fun, it was exciting."

Seager has hit 12 home runs since May 11, the most in the league. It was the third multi-homer game of his career and his second in the series. His comfort level with major league pitching is at an all-time high.

"It's one of those days where you're getting good pitches and getting swings on them," Seager said. "You hope you get good pitches every night. If you don't, they're good pitchers, they're big league pitchers, and that's what they're supposed to do. They're supposed to make pitches. Right now, I'm getting some hits."

Scott Kazmir (5-3) limited the Braves to three runs on seven hits in five-plus innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Kazmir left the game with two on and no outs in the sixth inning due to cramping in his left quadriceps. Manager Dave Roberts said the ailment isn't serious enough to hold him out for a start, and Kazmir said he was fine.

"It wasn't too much cramping," Kazmir said. "It was more just irritated, just tight."

Matt Wisler (2-6) took a third straight loss, giving up a season-high eight earned runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out five in four innings.

"The command and the aggression wasn't there, and he was just missing his mark," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. "He had been pitching pretty good, and he probably learned a lot today."

It was Wisler's shortest outing of the season, but Snitker said the right-hander should find solace in the way he battled through it.

"I kept running him back out there because he had pitches and we needed to cover innings, too," Snitker said. "It's always a learning experience. He was just off, and that's going to happen, but he'll be better for it."

The Dodgers scored runs in each of the first five innings and again in the seventh, with each player in the starting lineup hitting safely.

Seager took the first pitch of the inning from Wisler -- a curveball -- over the fence in the fourth inning. He hit a two-run shot off of Alexi Ogando in the seventh inning, giving the Dodgers a 12-3 lead. Seager was also responsible for the run in the fifth inning, singling home Kazmir with two outs.

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) follows through on a swing for a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Dodgers came back to tie in the bottom of the frame. Enrique Hernandez led off the second with a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to break the tie, and the Dodgers then plated four runs in the third to go up 7-2.

The margin was 9-2 before Atlanta's Jeff Francouer doubled to lead off the sixth inning, and he scored on a Nick Markakis single. J.P. Howell came on in relief of Kazmir and got three quick outs.

Atlanta rallied for two more runs, both off of Chris Hatcher, in the eighth inning. Brandon Snyder hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, his first of the season.

NOTES: Los Angeles OF Carl Crawford was designated for assignment. Crawford was struggling at the plate, hitting only .185 in 30 games this season. He is expected to clear waivers and can then sign with another team. The Dodgers owe the remaining $35 million on the seven-year, $142 million contract Crawford signed with the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2011 season. ... The Dodgers recalled C/INF Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City. This is Barnes' second stint on the major league roster this season. ... RF Trayce Thompson moved to third in the Dodgers' order with Justin Turner getting a day off. Howie Kendrick took Turner's spot at third base, and Enrique Hernandez started in left field. ... Los Angeles RHP Brandon McCarthy (Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to throw a throw a three-inning, 60-pitch simulated game Monday. ... The Braves have scored more than five runs only once in the past five games. ... Braves CF Ender Inciarte did not start Sunday after struggling at the plate in the first two games of the series. Enciarte returned from the disabled list on May 7 but he has yet to return to form, and he is batting .202 this season after going 0-for-2 Sunday, when he entered as a sub.

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