The Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from a disappointing loss to defeat the Houston Astros, 8-1, splitting the two games at Dodger Stadium and taking the season series.
Short on healthy starters, the Dodgers resorted to a bullpen game for a second time this year. Brusdar Graterol served as the opener, marking the first start of his young Major League career. He allowed a two-out base hit but otherwise struck out three in his lone inning of work.
Josh Sborz then began a parade of seven Dodgers relief pitchers on the night. Victor Gonzalez, who entered in the third and pitched two innings, was the lone member of the bullpen to go multiple frames.
Dylan Floro was the only to allow a run as George Springer greeted him with a leadoff home run in the sixth inning. It prevented the Astros from being shut out and only put a dent into the Dodgers’ lead.
Alex Wood faced a bit of the jam in the seventh as he allowed a one-out single and hit a batter. Wood then retired the next two faced to escape the trouble.
Kenley Jansen got an opportunity at redemption, though in a non-save situation and with a substantial lead. He responded to the blown save in the series opener by retiring the side in order to finish out the game.
L.A. had pulled ahead early thanks to AJ Pollock’s solo home run off Zack Greinke in the first inning.
Greinke then was the victim of soft contact in the fifth. Cody Bellinger led off with a cue-shot infield single, followed by a Chris Taylor check-swing bloop double into shallow right field. With the infield drawn in, Kiké Hernandez pulled a two-run single into left.
Mookie Betts then lifted a changeup to the opposite field for a solo homer that capped off the four-run inning. Taylor provided Jansen with more breathing room by breaking the game open with a three-run home run in the eighth. It marked Taylor’s second consecutive game with a homer.
NL West showdown upcoming
The Dodgers now head to Petco Park for a three-game series against the San Diego Padres that begins Monday. The matchup will have National League West implications, as the Padres will enter the series 2.5 games back of first place.
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