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Dodgers win 4th straight, hit 4 home runs against Phillies

May 2, 2023

LOS ANGELES ― A year ago, the Dodgers climbed four games above .500 in their eighth game of the season. They never came close to falling back to Earth until October.

For the first time in 2023, the Dodgers (17-13) climbed four games above .500 by beating the Philadelphia Phillies, 13-4, on Monday night.

Inconsistency was the Dodgers’ only consistent hallmark of April. Now, they have four straight wins for the first time this season. With one exception, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, their Opening Day lineup is healthy and active. Their paternity list is vacant.

Could the Dodgers finally be showing a glimpse of the team as it was drawn up in spring training?

“I think we already knew who we were,” said Mookie Betts, who made his fourth start at shortstop and hit one of four Dodger home runs. “It was just a matter of getting us all back. I can’t really help having babies at the same time. We already knew who we were. It was just a matter of putting it into action. Some guys were hitting, some not. Whatever. Fortunately, we put it all together tonight.”

The Dodgers collected a season-high 15 hits and 13 runs in support of starter Tony Gonsolin and three relievers.

Will Smith’s fourth homer of the season drew first blood against Yucaipa’s Taijuan Walker (2-2). A three-run shot by David Peralta in the second inning gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. Jason Heyward’s solo shot in the third inning made it 5-0. Betts capped a 3-for-5 performance with his two-run home run in the eighth inning.

Soon after, infielder Kody Clemens was pitching for the Phillies and pitcher Shelby Miller was batting for the Dodgers. The game, never in doubt, had turned into a laugher.

Freddie Freeman also went 3 for 5. Smith, Heyward, Peralta and Michael Busch collected two hits apiece. Busch also struck out looking against Clemens on a 57-mph fastball.

Former Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner received a brief but hearty ovation from the announced crowd of 42,137 at Dodger Stadium in his return with the Phillies. It ended with a relatively uneventful 1-for-4 night at the plate.

Ironically, it was on the day Turner returned to Dodger Stadium that the Dodgers’ once-apparent dearth of shortstops and fear-inducing hitters was not an issue.

“A complete contribution from everyone, one through nine,” Manager Dave Roberts said. “Fun to watch.”

Gonsolin’s second start of the season started with great promise. He did not allow a runner past second base until Kyle Schwarber curled a home run inside the right field foul pole to begin the fourth inning.

The right-hander got two quick outs to begin the fifth inning but could not come up with the third. Two walks and a single loaded the bases; by then Gonsolin was relying almost exclusively on his secondary pitches. His fastball, consistently in the 93-94 mph range last season, has been sitting 91-92 this year after missing most of April recovering from an ankle injury.

“I felt early, commanded the strike zone a lot better than I did the last outing,” Gonsolin said. “The fifth inning, I kind of tried a little too hard and lost the zone a little bit. Overall the boys raked and I got it done.”

Phil Bickford took over with the bases loaded and immediately allowed a pair of runs on a Nick Castellanos single. Both runs were charged to Gonsolin, who allowed five hits and walked two batters in 4⅔ innings.

Victor Gonzalez (1-0) was credited with the win after throwing 1⅓ scoreless innings in relief of Bickford.

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Will Smith goes yard! pic.twitter.com/GWIupxewtY