The Los Angeles Dodgers clawed their way back to the top of the National League West on Thursday night, edging the San Francisco Giants 5-2 in a game that was far from clean but full of grit. With the win, the Dodgers (26-18) reclaimed first place after the San Diego Padres fell to the Milwaukee Brewers, and they avoided a third straight series loss at home just in time for a weekend road trip against the Angels.
Setting the tone early was designated hitter Will Smith, who manager Dave Roberts had earlier described as "unflappable." Batting from the leadoff spot for the first time this season, Smith crushed a solo homer to right-center field in the opening inning, giving the Dodgers an immediate spark. The move was a strategic one by Roberts, who wanted to maximize Smith's plate appearances while giving Shohei Ohtani a night off. Ohtani, who has been struggling at the plate recently, was held out of the lineup for the first time this season while healthy (excluding his paternity leave) since the universal designated hitter rule was implemented in 2022.
But the Dodgers' path to victory was anything but smooth. In the second inning, a promising rally unraveled when Teoscar Hernández got caught in no-man's land between third and home after Miguel Rojas hit a soft grounder back to Giants starter Landen Roupp. With no force play at the plate, Hernández was tagged out, and the inning ended when Smith struck out. Rojas, clearly frustrated, slammed his helmet down on the basepath.
The frustration didn't stop there. Catcher Dalton Rushing was shown on the broadcast breaking his bat and slamming his leg guard after losing a challenge on a called third strike. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan, who had a quiet night until the fifth inning, offered some words of encouragement, patting Rushing on the back. Sheehan tossed three hitless innings before the Giants' Rafael Devers broke through with a one-out single in the fifth.
Despite the miscues, the Dodgers' resilience shined through. Alex Call delivered the game's biggest hit, a pinch-hit, two-run single that gave Los Angeles breathing room and secured the series-splitting win. For a team that prides itself on composure, Thursday night was a reminder that even on an off night, the Dodgers find a way to win.