Dodgers Rout Astros 12-2 Behind Andy Pages’ Historic Three-Homer Explosion
Los Angeles – The Los Angeles Dodgers hammered the Houston Astros 12-2 at Daikin Park on Wednesday in front of 32,741 fans. The Dodgers improved to 23-14, maintaining first place in the NL West by 1/2 game over the Padres, while Houston fell to 15-23 and is still in last place in the AL West.
The story of the day was center fielder Andy Pages, who crushed three home runs and drove in six runs in one of the best performances of his young career. Pages finished 3-for-5 with 12 total bases, becoming the centerpiece of a relentless Dodgers offense that collected 14 hits and went 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
And it was GREAT to see the Dodgers’ offense explode like they did, because the recent stretch has been very average in terms of the offensive production.
Houston briefly grabbed momentum in the bottom of the first when rookie Brice Matthews launched a leadoff homer off Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow. The blast gave the Astros a quick 1-0 lead and spoiled what was otherwise a milestone inning for Glasnow, who recorded the 1,000th strikeout of his major league career by freezing Yordan Alvarez earlier in the frame.
But the Dodgers answered immediately and never looked back.
Dodgers Capitalize Early, Then Blow Game Open
Los Angeles tied the game in the second inning after Kyle Tucker doubled and eventually scored on a Lance McCullers Jr. wild pitch. From there, the Dodgers overtook Houston with their trademark patience and then power.
In the third inning, Shohei Ohtani doubled to right field before another McCullers wild pitch plated Alex Freeland. A second wild pitch moments later allowed Ohtani himself to score, giving Los Angeles a 3-1 lead.
Then came the knockout punch.
After Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker walked, Pages demolished a three-run homer to left field in the third inning to push the lead to 6-1.
“When Andy Pages is locked in like that, he changes the entire complexion of the lineup,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Every at-bat felt dangerous today.”
Freeman added an RBI double in the fourth after Ohtani stole second base, continuing a strong recent stretch for the veteran first baseman, who reached base three times and is now hitting .279 with a .773 OPS. Freeman is hitting .310 in his last 7 games.
Pages struck again in the fifth inning, this time launching a two-run shot after Max Muncy singled. The Dodgers added another run later in the inning when Ohtani lined an RBI single to left, extending the lead to 10-1.
Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland added another run in the seventh inning when Kim tripled, and Freeland singled him home.
Pages capped his unforgettable afternoon in the ninth inning by blasting a solo homer off Astros catcher César Salazar, who had moved from behind the plate to the mound in mop-up duty.
“I was just trying to stay aggressive in the zone,” Andy Pages said. “The guys ahead of me kept getting on base, and I wanted to make pitchers pay for mistakes.”
Pages Continues Emerging Breakout Season
Pages entered the day already swinging one of the hottest bats in the Dodgers lineup, and Tuesday only strengthened that trend. The 25-year-old outfielder raised his average to .336 with a .945 OPS and now has eight home runs and 33 RBIs on the season.
Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with a double, RBI, walk, stolen base, and two runs scored, raising his OPS to .831. Dalton Rushing continued his excellent start at the major league level with two more hits, boosting his average to .328 and his OPS to an eye-popping 1.124.
Kim added two hits, including his first triple of the year, while Freeland contributed an RBI single and scored twice.
Even with Teoscar Hernández striking out three times, the Dodgers’ offense never slowed down. The club has increasingly relied on lineup depth lately, with younger contributors like Pages, Kim, Rushing, and Freeland consistently supplementing the production from established stars.
Glasnow Leaves Early, Dodgers Bullpen Dominates
The lone concern for Los Angeles came in the second inning when Glasnow exited after just one inning because of what we now know are back spasms. Before leaving, Glasnow allowed one run on one hit while striking out two.
The Dodgers’ bullpen took over and completely silenced Houston the rest of the afternoon.
Left-hander Jack Dreyer earned the win after tossing two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while lowering his ERA to 2.60. Edgardo Henriquez followed with two shutout innings of his own, and Kyle Hurt struck out two in a perfect sixth inning.
Blake Treinen allowed Houston’s second run in the seventh, but Tanner Scott and Brock Stewart slammed the door with scoreless final frames. Overall, Dodgers pitchers held the Astros to just five hits and no walks while striking out eight.
“The bullpen was unbelievable,” Roberts said. “To lose your starter that early and still get that kind of coverage from everyone speaks to how deep this staff is.”
Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. struggled badly, allowing six runs in just 2 2/3 innings. He issued three walks, threw two wild pitches, and surrendered Pages’ first homer before exiting with his ERA climbing to 7.41.
Looking Ahead
The Dodgers are off today, Thursday, then return home on Friday evening to take on the Braves, who are one of the better teams in MLB.
