LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers sent out a holler from the outfield on Monday night that was heard from the back row.
Much maligned this season, the Dodgers’ outfield roamed free as Andy Pages hit two home runs with four RBIs in a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that opened a three-game series and a six-game homestand.
Even former outfielder Mookie Betts got into the act, with a home run and a highlight-reel play in the hole at shortstop, all in the seventh inning.
Right-hander Emmet Sheehan (5-2) was the benefactor of a solid defensive night to log a career best seven innings without allowing a run. He tied a career best with 10 strikeouts.
In the process, the Dodgers moved back into sole possession of first place in the National League West after the San Diego Padres lost to the Seattle Mariners, 9-6.
“Competition should bring out the best in you,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about the team finding itself in a tight race with the Padres. “Where the margins are smaller and everything matters more vs. you have a big lead and you’re not playing with urgency, because you don’t need to, then have to kind of flip a switch, that’s tough.
“We’ve done both. But I’m not going to say, as we’re in a pennant race and say this is not good for us. This is very good for us.”
Michael Conforto, whose play has been the most dissected of anyone in the lineup this season, made a reaching catch up against the wall in left field to save a run in the second inning and added a pair of doubles.
Teoscar Hernandez, whose season has been slowed by leg injuries, made multiple running catches of his own to solidify the defense behind Sheehan.
“Yeah, a lot of great plays out there,” Conforto said. “It’s been a thing for us to tighten up a little bit. And obviously we’ve been working towards getting that goal achieved and doing extra (batting practice defense), tracking balls in the outfield, just making sure we’re out there, getting our reps in. Obviously, it’s paying off. All the guys out there do a great job.”
And Pages, who has been the least of the Dodgers’ outfield concerns, continued to deliver with his second multi-homer game of the season. Pages also hit a pair of home runs in a home win against the Padres earlier this season.
“Working on some things mechanically, making adjustments,” Pages said through an interpreter. “We obviously know how long the season is, so trying to make those adjustments in-season, going through some of those ruts and trying to make those adjustments to get better and have better at-bats.”
Pages’ 22nd home run of the season was a solo shot into the Dodgers’ bullpen in left field in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. His 23rd went over the short wall in left in the fifth inning immediately after Conforto’s double for a 3-0 advantage.
Both home runs came against Reds right-hander Hunter Greene, who was throwing 100 mph fastballs, while Pages took advantage of a pair of sliders.
Pages was just 1 for 10 in the just-completed three-game series in San Diego, but overall, he has appeared to get back on track with four home runs over his past nine games.
“I just think the energy all around was focused and was consistent,” Roberts said. “To grind the pitcher like Hunter Greene, you’ve got to do something offensively and to play defensively, to not give away outs. To allow Emmett to go deeper in a game that’s just what we need to do going forward.”
Sheehan offered his best outing of the season, allowing two hits with one walk to win his third consecutive decision.
Betts padded the lead in the seventh with his 14th home run and third of an August turnaround that has seen him deliver a .356 batting average over his last 18 games after dropping to .231 for the season during a series early in the month against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Dodgers’ final run came on a Pages sacrifice fly in the eighth.
“The past few days have been great,” Conforto said of the team. “I think just a little switch in mentality. Less about slugging the ball, more about grinding at-bats and being ready to hit. When you get your pitch, finish the at-bat, and just controlling the zone a little bit. Like I said, the past two days have been better, and we’re looking to keep that rolling, for sure.”
Lost in the mix was a Freddie Freeman double in the sixth inning that was the 541st of his career to tie him with Rogers Hornsby for 37th on MLB’s all-time list.
“I thought the offensive at-bats, one through nine, were great,” Roberts said. “It’s probably one of the better games, complete games that we’ve played in months, for me.”
