LOS ANGELES -- For the second consecutive night, the Dodgers’ lineup card looked a bit lighter than usual. With Shohei Ohtani receiving a scheduled day off and Mookie Betts sidelined to manage his workload, the spotlight shifted to the rest of the order to see if the offense could maintain its punch.
They didn't disappoint. Behind a strong quality start from Emmet Sheehan and a persistent, late-inning offensive surge, the Dodgers secured a 5-2 victory. The win not only allowed Los Angeles to escape the four-game set with a series split but it propelled the Dodgers (26-18) back into first place in the National League West.
The Dodgers didn't wait long to prove they could produce without their top-of-the-order superstars. In his first career appearance in the leadoff spot, Will Smith took Giants starter Landen Roupp deep to right-center field.
The Statcast-projected 390-foot blast was just the second home run Roupp has allowed all season, and it was Smith’s first career leadoff homer in his first career start atop the lineup.
"I just feel he's unflappable," manager Dave Roberts said pregame of the decision to move Smith to the top of the order. "Whatever position he's in, you put him in, he responds. I felt that giving him an opportunity to get five at-bats while leaving the other guys in their [regular] spots made the most sense. I just trust him."
While the Giants managed to claw back into the game via a fifth-inning inside-the-park home run down the left-field line by Jung Hoo Lee, the Dodgers’ offense remained patient, eventually breaking the game open in the sixth.