LOS ANGELES — In an exciting game at Dodger Stadium, Andy Pages delivered a pivotal three-run homer in the fifth inning, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a narrow 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night.
The Dodgers found themselves trailing 3-2 when Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts reached base with consecutive singles to kick off the fifth inning. Although Freddie Freeman was unable to advance the runners with a ground out and Teoscar Hernández struck out, Pages seized the moment. He smashed a slider from Giants pitcher Ryan Walker into the pavilions of left-center field, notching his 13th home run of the season and propelling the Dodgers to a 5-3 advantage.
The contributions didn’t stop there. Pages managed a sacrifice fly in the first inning, while Tommy Edman added to the Dodgers’ scoreline with a solo home run in the second. The win helped the Dodgers widen their National League West lead to two games over their arch-rivals, the Giants.
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May improved his record to 4-4 despite some control issues. He managed to soldier through and complete six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, issuing four walks, hitting two batters, and accumulating three strikeouts. Tanner Scott delivered a flawless ninth inning, striking out the side to collect his 13th save of the season.
For the Giants, right-hander Sean Hjelle stepped in for the originally scheduled starter Kyle Harrison. Harrison was unexpectedly traded to Boston in a last-minute blockbuster deal for Rafael Devers, just 20 minutes before the start of the game. Hjelle allowed two runs and three hits over 3 2/3 innings. Joey Lucchesi, filling in for Harrison on the roster, was tagged with the loss, marking his record at 0-1.
Despite the loss, the Giants fought valiantly, with Jung Hoo Lee uniquely highlighting the fourth inning with a two-run triple. Additionally, Daniel Johnson contributed with a pinch-hit solo homer against Dodgers reliever Kirby Yates in the eighth inning.
A key moment unfolded in the fifth inning when the Giants loaded the bases with two outs, but Dodgers pitcher May deftly quelled the opportunity by inducing Logan Porter to ground out, preserving the Dodgers’ narrow lead.
An impressive statistic emerges from Pages’ recent form; since May 24, he has maintained a .313 batting average, achieving four homers and 17 RBIs over 21 games.
Looking ahead, the Dodgers are set to continue their series with a matchup against the San Diego Padres. Dodgers right-hander Ben Casparius, carrying a 4-1 record and a 2.86 ERA, is slated to start Monday night’s series opener. Simultaneously, the Giants will face the Cleveland Guardians, with left-hander Robbie Ray, boasting an 8-1 record and a 2.55 ERA, scheduled to start on Tuesday night in San Francisco.