LOS ANGELES — Matt Kemp’s best season just keeps getting better. The Los Angeles Dodgers are moving into rare territory too.
Kemp hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning, Ronnie Belliard added a solo shot and the Dodgers beat the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
“Every win up to this point is going to be big,” Kemp said as the Dodgers trimmed their magic number to nine for clinching their third postseason berth in four years.
Los Angeles began the day with a five-game lead over Colorado in the NL West — its largest since being 5 1/2 games up on the Rockies on Sept. 1.
The Dodgers’ first three-game winning streak since Aug. 20-22 against the Chicago Cubs left them 29 games above .500 for the first time since the penultimate day of the 1985 season.
Kemp sent an 0-2 pitch from Kevin Hart (1-6) into the right-field pavilion for his 24th homer, driving in Belliard and giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead en route to their 38th comeback victory of the season. Kemp extended his career highs for homers and RBIs (94) with his first longball since Sept. 1.
“I didn’t think I would be here this quick doing all these good things,” he said. “I’m letting the game come to me.”
The Dodgers beat the Pirates on a home run for the second day in a row, this time with only three regulars — Andre Ethier, Kemp and James Loney — in the starting lineup.
Kemp’s shot came about 15 hours after Ethier’s two-run homer in the 13th inning lifted Los Angeles to a 5-4 victory on Tuesday night.
Belliard made it 3-1 in the eighth, hitting the first pitch from Phil Dumatrait over the wall in center.
