The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back multiple players and snapped a two-game losing streak with a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of their homestand.
Dustin May fought command troubles early and it allowed the Cardinals to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a wild pitch and Willson Contreras sacrifice fly.
May wound up keeping the Cardinals in check after that despite battling a high pitch count. He got through five innings but needed a career-high 104 pitches to do so. The start was May’s first at the Major League level with a minimum of 100 pitches.
The Dodgers immediately got to pick up May, beginning with Mookie Betts’ 38th career leadoff home run and 18th with the club. He moved into 10th place all-time on the leadoff home runs list.
In the third inning, Max Muncy and Heyward got to Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty with back-to-back RBI doubles. Muncy’s scored Freddie Freeman from first base and had a 106.6 mph exit velocity, while Heyward’s was a cue shot that rolled down the third-base line.
Muncy went 1-for-2 with two walks and the RBI in his return from the paternity list.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the fifth inning but only managed a run when James Outman was hit by a pitch. The gifted run snapped a string of seven consecutive strikeouts for Outman, who has fallen into his first slump amid an early case for National League Rookie of the Year.
Outman finished the night 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
Miguel Vargas broke the game open with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. The homer was Vargas’ second of his young career, with both coming against the Cardinals.
Dodgers bullpen shines
What’s been an inconsistent group followed May with four innings to wrap up the Dodgers’ win. Included in that effort was Brusdar Graterol retiring the only batter faced in his return from the paternity list.
The Dodgers bullpen was on the verge of having a scoreless night but that was squandered when Alex Vesia allowed an RBI single in the ninth inning.
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