Max Scherzer struck out 10 in his debut for the Dodgers and had strong support from his teammates, who hit four home runs to defeat the Houston Astros 7-5 on Wednesday night and close out a heated two-game series.
Mookie Betts hit two home runs, while Will Smith and AJ Pollock homered off Astros starter Jake Odorizzi (4-6), who took the loss.
Michael Brantley, Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker connected for Houston.
The crowd of 52,724 – the largest this season in the majors for the second night in a row – was once again heard. This series was the first opportunity for Dodgers fans to claim the Astros in person since the sign stealing scandal was discovered in late 2019. Houston defeated Los Angeles in the 2017 World Series after a victory in the Game 7 at Dodger Stadium.
Scherzer (9-4) pitched seven innings and equaled his season-high 109 pitches, including 73 strikes. He allowed two runs and five hits, with a walkport.
For the Astros, Venezuelan José Altuve 4-0. Puerto Rican Carlos Correa 4-2 with a score and an RBI. The Cubans Yordan Álvarez 4-1 with a run scored; Aledmys Diaz 4-1 with a run scored. The Dominican Robel García 4-0. (AP)