Wilson Betemit, Matt Kemp and winning pitcher Kuo Hong-chih homered off John Maine on three consecutive pitches as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Tuesday to hand the slumping National League East leaders their eighth loss in nine games.
After Russell Martin grounded out to start the second, Betemit hit an 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for his sixth homer. Kemp drove Maine's next pitch just inside the left-field foul pole for his first, and Kuo followed by hitting the first homer of his career into the right field pavilion to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
The last time a team hit three homers on as many pitches occurred last Sept. 18 on the last three of the four straight hit by the Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth inning in an 11-10, 10-inning victory over San Diego.
PHOTO: AP
The Mets hadn't allowed three straight homers since April 1, 1997, and five days ago they hit back-to-back-to-back homers against Philadelphia. Kemp's homer was the first to reach the loge level since July 27, 2005, when Olmedo Saenz accomplished the feat against Cincinnati.
Kuo (1-1), whose only previous victory came over the Mets last September, allowed five hits and one run in seven innings. Takashi Saito worked a perfect ninth for his 18th save.
Maine (6-4) allowed seven hits and four runs in 5 1-3 innings.
Yankees 4, Diamondbacks 1
At New York, Wang Chien-ming outpitched Brandon Webb in a marquee matchup of exceptional sinkerballers, and streaking Bobby Abreu hit an early three-run homer on Tuesday to help the Yankees to a 4-1 win against the Diamondbacks, their seventh straight.
The Yankees (31-31) won for the 10th time in 12 tries following a five-game skid, reaching .500 for the first time since they were 16-16 after beating Texas on May 9. It's their first seven-game winning streak since a 10-game run in May 2005.
Coming off a five-hitter at the Chicago White Sox, Wang (6-4) allowed six hits and walked none in seven innings. Runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award last year, he has won his last three starts and five of six overall.
Wang had to be on top of his game because Webb (6-4) settled down after giving up Abreu's homer in the first. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner yielded four runs -- three earned -- and five hits in seven innings.
In other baseball action on Tuesday it was:
* Tigers 4, Brewers 0
* Marlins 3, Indians 0
* Phillies 7, White Sox 3
* Red Sox 2, Rockies 1
* Devil Rays 11, Padres 4
* Pirates 7, Rangers 5
* Nationals 7, Orioles 4
* Reds 5, Angels 3
* Astros 5, Athletics 4, 11 innings
* Twins 7, Braves 3
* Royals 8, Cardinals 1
* Mariners 5, Cubs 3, 13 innings
* Giants 3, Blue Jays 2
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