LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers hit the shuffle button on their playlist of popular jams, and the hits flowed on Tuesday night with a whole new tempo.
Mookie Betts moved into the cleanup spot for the first time since 2017 and contributed two home runs, including one in his first at-bat of the game.
Andy Pages moved into the No. 2 spot for the first time this season and hit a home run in his second at-bat, while finishing with four hits to tie a career high.
Kiké Hernandez joined the fun in his second game of the season. Hernandez hit his first home run of the season and the Dodgers turned all that power into a 15-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Before the dance floor closed, the Dodgers had amassed five home runs while matching their season highs in runs and hits with 17. Will Smith also went deep for just the second time in his past 21 games.
Stop-gap left-hander Eric Lauer gave up one run on four hits over six innings in his Dodgers debut, while looking like a whole new pitcher after a 6.69 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays in eight appearances (six starts) led to being designated for assignment.
Miguel Rojas moved from second base to third then to the mound in the ninth inning and coughed up home runs to both Brett Sullivan and Kyle Karros. It was the first Dodger Stadium home run for the younger Karros, whose dad Eric Karros hit a ballpark record 130 during a 14-year career, 12 of which came with the Dodgers.
The only real sour note on the night came in the fifth inning when Hernandez departed with a left oblique injury.
Manager Dave Roberts played the role of DJ, spinning the Dodgers to their fourth consecutive victory and 11th in the team’s past 13 games.
The recent run of success has been led by a dominating pitching staff, especially the bullpen, with an erratic offense only starting to come alive of late. The Dodgers now have 10 double-digit scoring efforts this season, with four coming in the past 10 games.
Betts had just four home runs on the season, and one since returning from an oblique injury earlier this month, when he blasted a two-run home run to center in the first inning. He pumped his fist while hopping into the air between first and second base.
Hernandez hit his home run to lead off the third inning and Pages added his two batters later. Pages added a two-run double in a four-run fourth inning and the Dodgers were off and running with an 8-1 lead.
The run spigot continued to flow. Rojas and Hyeseong Kim each brought home a run in the fifth. Kim entered the game when Hernandez departed.
Betts hit his second home run in the sixth inning when his three-run shot cleared the wall in left-center. His sixth of the season gave him his first multi-homer game since May of last season (the 32nd of his career).
Smith added a two-run shot later in the sixth.
Lauer (2-5) is getting his chance with the two-time defending champions as both Tyler Glasnow (back) and Blake Snell (elbow) spend time on the injured list. He was acquired in a cash transaction only after the Blue Jays designated him for assignment earlier this month.
OHTANI HIT ON HAND
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was hit on the right hand by a pitch and left the game early. The two-way star, who wears a protective pad on his right hand, was struck by Rockies starter Kyle Freeland in the fourth, though he stayed in the game initially. Ohtani left after grounding out in the fifth. He was 0 for 2 with a run scored.
Ohtani is scheduled to start on the mound for the Dodgers in the series finale on Wednesday night. Manager Dave Roberts said before the game Tuesday that Ohtani likely would hit as well.
More to come on this story.