LOS ANGELES—Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Gavin Stone continued a run of solid starting pitching, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 3–1 on Wednesday to complete an unbeaten six-game homestand.
Los Angeles extended its overall winning streak to a season-high seven games. The Dodgers have won 14 of their past 16.
“Today we didn’t put up a bunch of runs, but we got a big hit when we needed it,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “The starters are coming into their own. It’s one of those things where hitting is contagious, but also starting pitching is contagious.”
Freddie Freeman got aboard with a two-out double off the wall in right field before Hernández drove a full-count changeup from Ryan Weathers (2–4) over the wall in left-center. The key blow sailed just past the outstretched glove of Marlins left fielder Nick Gordon.
Miami Manager Skip Schumaker second-guessed his decision to allow Weathers to pitch to Hernández with first base open and Kiké Hernández on deck.
“At the end of the day, that’s on me,“ Mr. Schumaker said. ”I should have taken that situation out of their hands and had him face Kiké. I thought there’s a chance that he would pitch around him a little bit where he could chase. And in a worse-case scenario, he would put him on and go attack Kiké.”
Teoscar Hernández drove in all three Los Angeles runs in a game that lasted only one hour, 55 minutes, the shortest contest at Dodger Stadium in 21 years. His RBI base hit to right marked the fourth straight game the Dodgers scored in the first inning.
“Nowadays, the outfielders make plays. I was waiting until he was laying on the ground. After that, I celebrated,” said Teoscar Hernández, who leads the Dodgers with 29 RBIs. “I was looking for a changeup. He got me out on my second at-bat with a changeup, and then at 3–1 he threw a changeup.”
Bryan De La Cruz went deep for the second straight game, accounting for Miami’s only run with a solo shot to left in the fourth inning. It is the second time this season he has homered in back-to-back games.
The Marlins dropped five of six games on their road trip.
“It’s tough to win with one run,“ Mr. Schumaker said. ”Ryan did really well. I’ll take that version of Ryan Weathers any day of the week. We just couldn’t get anything going.”
Weathers allowed three runs and five hits in six innings.
Stone (3–1) went seven innings and allowed only one run on six hits, with four strikeouts. Five of the Dodgers’ starters during the homestand went at least six innings and posted a 2.33 earned-run average, with 31 strikeouts and only four walks.
“He had command of all his pitches and induced a lot of weak contact,“ Mr. Roberts said of Stone. ”To see him again get to the seventh inning is pretty commendable.”
Trainer’s Room
Marlins: Right-hander Edward Cabrera went on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season due to right-shoulder impingement. He left Tuesday’s game after two innings. The team reinstated left-hander Braxton Garrett from the IL, and he will start Sunday against Philadelphia.
Up Next
Marlins: Let-hander Trevor Rogers (0–5, 6.15) makes his eighth start of the season when Miami opens a three-game series against visiting Philadelphia on Friday.
Dodgers: Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (6–1, 2.70) is set to start Friday’s series opener at San Diego.