Justin Turner and Chris Taylor hit their first home runs of the season and the host Los Angeles Dodgers downed the struggling Detroit Tigers 5-1 on Friday.
Los Angeles’ Tyler Anderson (2-0) pitched the first five innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
Evan Phillips, Phil Bickford, Brusdar Graterol and Reyes Moronta each tossed a single inning of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit and no walks overall while recording four strikeouts.
The Dodgers scored all of their runs in the first four innings as they bounced back from two consecutive losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman each had a hit and a run, and Trea Turner drove in a run.
Detroit starter Tyler Alexander (0-3) lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on three hits, as his team’s losing streak extended to six games. Alexander walked two and fanned out. Will Vest struck out four in two scoreless innings of relief.
Tucker Barnhart had two hits and scored the Tigers’ lone run, while Javier Baez had two hits and the team’s only RBI. Detroit has scored two or fewer runs in five of the past six games.
The Dodgers jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first. Freeman walked, stole second and scored when Justin Turner blasted an 0-2 pitch from Alexander over the left field wall.
With two outs in the second, Taylor socked the first pitch he saw over the left-center-field wall to make it 3-0.
Detroit scored its run in the third. Barnhart singled with one out and Robbie Grossman walked with two down. Baez then singled to knock in Barnhart.
The Dodgers matched that in the bottom of the inning. Betts led off with a walk, advanced to third on Freeman’s single and scored on Trea Turner’s sacrifice fly.
Los Angeles scored again in the fourth. Will Smith led off with a walk and Gavin Lux hit a two-out single. An infield hit by Betts and fielding error by shortstop Baez on the play allowed Smith to score.
–Field Level Media