The Dodgers have won the first two games of the three-game series and eight of their last 11. The Mets have lost five straight, 17 of 21 and 42 of 62 since an 11-1 start.

Kemp's blast capped a night that began with two of the best pitchers in baseball opposing one another.

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who was on the disabled list all month with a back injury, started for Los Angeles and allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four over three innings. It was just his third start since May 1. He missed most of May with a biceps injury.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom (5-3) took the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six over six innings. It was the worst start in more than two months for deGrom, who had a 0.90 ERA in his previous 11 starts. His National League-leading ERA rose from 1.51 to 1.69.

DeGrom gave up a homer in the first inning to Max Muncy, but the Mets took the lead against Kershaw thanks to RBI hits by Jose Bautista (second-inning double) and Wilmer Flores (third-inning single).

The lead didn't last long, though. With one out in the top of the fourth, Yasmani Grandal singled and Enrique Hernandez walked. After Chase Utley popped out, Chris Taylor, pinch-hitting for Kershaw, laced a two-run double.

Caleb Ferguson (1-1) relieved Kershaw and wriggled out of a pair of jams during four scoreless innings in which he allowed three hits and one walk while striking out six.

The Mets didn't score in the fifth, when Brandon Nimmo and Todd Frazier led off with singles but were stranded at the corners, or in the seventh, when Nimmo was left at third base following a one-out triple.

Hernandez delivered a run-scoring squeeze bunt two batters before Kemp's grand slam.

Bautista homered in the eighth.

--Field Level Media