The Los Angeles Dodgers returned home with a blowout win over the Texas Rangers, taking a series-opening 15-2 victory backed by five home runs and a strong start turned in by James Paxton.
The Dodgers got started in the first inning when Will Smith started them off with a three-run blast after a walk from Shohei Ohtani and single from Freddie Freeman.
Mookie Betts extended their lead in the fourth with a three-run double after Gavin Lux and Andy Pages singled, while Jason Heyward was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That put the Dodgers out in front 6-1.
The Dodgers added another in the fifth when Gavin Lux singled to bring home Freddie Freeman with two runners on, making it a 7-1 lead.
Things really opened up in the sixth inning as the Dodgers had a home run party with four in the inning. Betts walked and Ohtani blasted the first of the inning, and his 16th of the year.
That was followed by a home run from Freeman to give them back-to-back long balls for the third time this season and first since May 20.
Smith then singled, and Teoscar Hernández hit a laser to left field, his 17th bomb of the season, to put the Dodgers up 12-1. After a two-out single from Andy Pages, Jason Heyward unloaded on a pitch to make it a 14-1 game, giving him his third home run of the season and capping off the seven-run inning.
The Dodgers’ last four-homer inning was on Sept. 29, 2021 against the San Diego Padres in the bottom of the eighth inning.
In the seventh, the Dodgers loaded the bases before the Rangers used a position player to pitch. Miguel Vargas then hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 15-2 game.
The 15 runs tonight set a season-high for the Dodgers.
On the mound, Paxton turned in a quality start, going six innings while giving up just one run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Michael Grove gave up a homer in the seventh, Anthony Banda worked a scoreless 8th, and Evan Phillips pitched the ninth. Phillips had not appeared in a game since June 6.
Dodgers spoil Corey Seager’s homecoming
Before the game, Corey Seager was welcomed back to Dodger Stadium for the first time as a member of the Rangers. He was given a video tribute on the scoreboard, and he received a huge cheer from the fans.
“I spent a lot of time here,” Seager said before the game. “Obviously, not on that side, but it’s going to be fun. I’m excited about it to see some people, catch up with some old friends. It’s fun.”
Seager was not in the lineup as he nurses an injury.
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