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Gonzalez helps Dodgers take down Mets

May 21, 2014 - 6:16 AM Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Adrian Gonzalez finished a triple shy of the cycle and eight different Dodgers drove in runs to help Los Angeles to a 9-4 decision over the New York Mets on Tuesday to open a three-game set from Citi Field.

Yasiel Puig went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI and Carl Crawford had a pair of hits and three runs scored for the Dodgers, who improved to 15-9 away from home this season.

Josh Beckett (2-1) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings but did enough to earn his second straight win.

"These guys are going to hit," Beckett said of LA's lineup. "You go up and down the lineup, up and down the rows of this locker room and it's nothing but really good hitters. They're going to hit, they're going to score runs. This was the bullpen's and their win."

Curtis Granderson doubled, homered and scored twice for New York, which saw starter Rafael Montero (0-2) struggle in his second career start. Montero had trouble finding the plate and was torched for five runs on seven hits and four walks over 4 1/3 frames.

"At the end of the year, everyone is going to go back and talk about situational hitting," said Mets manager Terry Collins after his club hit just 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position. "That has certainly been one of our things early in the year that we have not done."

Montero had control issues in the second, walking three but avoiding the big inning. With runners on the corners, Beckett helped himself with an RBI single to right, but Montero fanned Puig with two outs and the bases loaded later in the frame.

Granderson nearly homered to start the top of the second inning, crushing a double off the top of the wall in right. Granderson moved to third on Chris Young's fly to center and scored two batters later when Wilmer Flores reached on an infield single to short.

Montero flirted with danger again in the third, putting runners on second and third with one out, but got out of the inning unscathed. Two innings later, the Dodgers broke through.

Puig walked to start the stanza to set up Gonzalez's two-run blast to right- center. Matt Kemp followed with a double and Crawford chased Montero from the contest with a RBI single to center. Crawford stole second and moved to third on reliever Jeurys Familia's wild pitch before Juan Uribe plated him with a single for a 5-1 margin.

Ramirez's RBI single in the sixth made it a 6-1 game.

Granderson started the sixth inning with a solo homer to right. Beckett never settled down, giving up a double to Young before Lucas Duda too went yard, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Beckett was pulled two batters later after walking Flores, but the lead held thanks to a scoreless inning by J.P. Howell.

Both teams threatened but failed to put any more runs across until the ninth, when pinch-hitter Andre Ethier plated Crawford by grounding into a fielder's choice. Dee Gordon and Puig also drove in runs with singles to result in the final margin.

Game Notes

LA closer Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth, his first work since May 12 ... The Mets have dropped five of six ... New York second baseman Daniel Murphy went 0-for-5 as his 10-game hitting streak was snapped... LA outhit New York, 15-11 ... Los Angeles did its work with runners in scoring position, finishing 7-for-14.