Rookie Andy Pages has 3 RBIs to continue hot start as Dodgers beat Diamondbacks 8-4
By DAVID BRANDT
AP Baseball Writer
PHOENIX (AP) — Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages both hit two-run doubles in a big fifth inning, Will Smith added a solo homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-4 on Monday night.
Los Angeles finished the game without striking out once — the first time that has happened for the franchise since 2006.
“I just like the way that we’re getting hits and not just going for slug,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I always use the golf analogy: Our guys are using different clubs. You have to in baseball.”
Pages finished with three RBIs, the second time he had that many in 12 career games. The 23-year-old rookie pushed his hitting streak to seven games and is batting .298 with an .846 OPS since his big league debut on April 16.
“I’m playing against the best players in the world, but they make mistakes, too,” Pages said through a translator. “You try to do the best you can.”
Shohei Ohtani had two singles, a walk and an RBI for the Dodgers, who have won seven of their past eight.
The D-backs have dropped four of five.
The Dodgers led 2-1 in the fifth when Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Smith all drew one-out walks Andrew Saalfrank. Hernández followed with a rocket into the right-center gap that bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double, scoring two runs.
Three batters later, Pages made it 6-1 with a hard-hit ball down the third base line off Scott McGough that scored Smith and Hernandez.
“Just trying to do the best I can,” Pages said. “Obviously, look for pitches I can handle, look for pitches in the zone.”
It was the first time the D-backs and Dodgers played each other since Arizona swept a three-game National League Division Series against Los Angeles last season. The series win was part of the the D-backs’ surprising playoff run to the World Series.
Arizona cut the margin to 6-4 in the fifth. Eugenio Suárez had an RBI single, Randal Grichuk hit a sacrifice fly and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. came home on a wild pitch.
But Smith put the Dodgers up 7-4 in the sixth after clobbering a home run to dead center, high off the batter’s eye above the wall.
“We didn’t throw the ball that well today and that was the difference in the game,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.
Dodgers lefty James Paxton (3-0) gave up four runs and six hits over five innings. He struggled with his control, walking five and striking out four.
Los Angeles pulled ahead 2-1 in the second on Kiké Hernández’s RBI double and Pages’ sacrifice fly. Ohtani had the chance to do more damage — coming to the plate with the bases loaded and one out — but grounded into a double play.
Arizona left-hander Tommy Henry (1-2) gave up two runs and five hits and two walks over four innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Ryan Brasier strained his right calf during pregame warmups Monday and will go on the injured list.
UP NEXT
The Diamondbacks send LHP Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 2.77 ERA) to the mound Tuesday night, while the Dodgers counter with RHP Landon Knack (1-1, 3.27 ERA).
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