Rookie Andy Pages delivered a pivotal three-run home run in the fifth inning to help the Los Angeles Dodgers edge the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium. The win moved Los Angeles two games ahead of San Francisco in the National League West standings.
The Dodgers, who trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, saw Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts reach on back-to-back singles to start the inning. After Freddie Freeman grounded out and Teoscar Hernández struck out, Pages connected on a two-out slider from Giants reliever Ryan Walker, sending it into the left-center pavilion for his 13th home run of the season. The three-run shot gave Los Angeles a 5-3 advantage, a lead the bullpen managed to protect over the final four innings.
Pages had earlier contributed a sacrifice fly in the first inning, while Tommy Edman added a solo home run in the second, helping the Dodgers jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Pages has been productive in recent weeks, hitting .313 with four homers and 17 RBIs over his last 21 games.
Dodgers right-hander Dustin May (4-4) earned the win, pitching six innings despite some erratic command. He allowed three runs on six hits, walked four, and hit two batters while striking out three. May worked out of a critical jam in the fifth inning, stranding the bases loaded by getting Logan Porter to ground out.
Tanner Scott sealed the victory with a dominant ninth inning, striking out the side for his 13th save of the season.
San Francisco’s starting plans were upended shortly before first pitch when left-hander Kyle Harrison was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a high-profile deal involving slugger Rafael Devers. Sean Hjelle made a spot start in Harrison’s place, giving up two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. Joey Lucchesi (0-1), recalled earlier in the day to fill the roster spot vacated by Harrison, was tagged with the loss after giving up the decisive homer to Pages.
Jung Hoo Lee fueled the Giants’ offense in the fourth inning with a two-run triple, capping a three-run rally that briefly gave San Francisco a one-run lead. Daniel Johnson brought the Giants closer with a pinch-hit solo home run off Dodgers reliever Kirby Yates in the eighth, cutting the deficit to 5-4. However, that would be the final run of the night for San Francisco.
Looking ahead, the Dodgers will host the San Diego Padres in a key divisional series beginning Monday. Right-hander Ben Casparius (4-1, 2.86 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Los Angeles. On Tuesday, the Giants will return to San Francisco to begin a series against the Cleveland Guardians, with left-hander Robbie Ray (8-1, 2.55 ERA) slated to start the opener.
As of Monday morning, betting odds favor the Dodgers at -135 for the series opener against the Padres, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. The Giants are listed at -120 to win their opener against Cleveland, with the total runs line set at 7.5.
