The game turned in one catastrophic inning for Houston. The Dodgers scored five runs in the third, erasing a 1-0 deficit and building a commanding lead they never relinquished in a 12-2 victory at Daikin Park.
Andy Pages carried the assault with three home runs and six RBIs, going 3-for-5 in a dominant performance. His three-run homer in the third capped the decisive rally, and he added solo shots in the fifth and ninth innings. Pages is hitting .336 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs this season.
The third inning unraveled quickly for Houston starter Lance McCullers. Tucker scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1, then Freeland scored on another wild pitch. Ohtani scored on a third wild pitch before Pages launched his three-run homer to left field, extending the lead to 6-1. The Dodgers added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings before Pages completed his hat trick in the ninth.
McCullers lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing six runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. His ERA stands at 7.41. Jack Dreyer earned the win for Los Angeles with two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
The Dodgers snapped a one-game losing streak to improve to 22-14 and maintain their division lead. Houston fell to 15-22 despite the early lead provided by Brice Matthews' solo homer in the first inning. Ohtani sits one double away from 200 career doubles.