LOS ANGELES — Teoscar Hernández homered twice to back a dominant Bobby Miller on the mound in the Dodgers’ second straight win over the Cardinals, prevailing 6-3 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
In his first two at-bats on Friday against St. Louis left-hander Zack Thompson, Hernández went deep, a solo shot to right field in the second inning followed by a three-run job in the fourth.
From 2020-23, Hernández hit .312/.346/.626 against lefties, his 161 wRC+ against southpaws the fifth-best in the sport. That’s why, when the Dodgers signed Hernández in January to a one-year, $23.5 million contract, general manager Brandon Gomes said, “We feel like the power, and the ability to really handle left-handed pitching was an exceptional fit for how our lineup is constructed.”
Those home runs on Friday were the first two times facing a left-hander so far this season for Hernández, who has played every inning but thus far avoided facing any of the opposing southpaw relievers.
“I saw one today,” Hernández said after the game with a smile.
“To have him laying in the weeds in the sixth hole, it really adds length to our lineup,” manager Dave Roberts said. “When you get past the first three, or four or five guys, to have a hitter like Teoscar, it can be dangerous. Tonight he proved us all right.”
They provided more than enough offense to support Miller, who struck out a career-high 11. He retired his first 11 batters faced until a two-out single by Nolan Gorman in the fourth inning, the first Cardinals hit of this series by someone other than Paul Goldschmidt.
Six of Miller’s 11 strikeouts were looking, and he used his entire repertoire on Friday, getting four strikeouts each on the fastball and changeup, plus another three finished by a slider.
“It took me a while to realize [the changeup] was my best pitch. Coming up in the minor leagues I thought it was the slider, but turns out it was the changeup,” Miller said. “That’s a really good weapon for me against hitters, when a lot of guys are trying to be on time for a heater. I know I can sell it well, just like my fastball.”
Miller’s biggest threat came in the sixth, with a single followed by a two-out walk to Goldschmidt, giving the Cardinals their first runner in scoring position all night. After falling behind 3-1 to Gorman, Miller got a called strike on a 99-mph fastball, and finished him off with a 98.1-mph heater for a swinging strikeout.
“He’s a top-end guy, and he’s proving that now. To go out there and expect to win,” Roberts said of Miller. “He’s a big-body, physical pitcher, to be able to know you’ll get five, six, seven innings every time he takes the mound.”
Mixing and matching
Hernández has started all four games so far for the Dodgers, in left field for the first three games. On Friday, with Jason Hewyard sitting against a left-hander, Hernández shifted over to right field, as the Dodgers mixed in three right-handed hitters who had yet to start this season.
One of those starters was Kiké Hernández in center, marking first time the Dodgers have started two players named Hernández in the same game.
Other than Heyward, the Dodgers don’t plan to strictly platoon any of their hitters, but will provide off days for some, and maneuver based on matchups.
For instance, Mookie Betts started at second base on Friday after starting the first three games at shortstop. That left a spot for Miguel Rojas to start at shortstop. Coincidentally, both hit solo home runs Friday.
Betts’ home run was his 49th career home run leading off a game, and his 29th with the Dodgers, the latter surpassing Davey Lopes for most in franchise history.
Betts has reached base 13 times in 19 plate appearances this season, and has yet to make an out in consecutive trips to the plate. His nine RBI match the most in Dodgers history through the first four games of a season, along with Carl Furillo (1955), Jim Wynn (1974), and Ken Landreaux (1983).
Left-handed hitters Gavin Lux and James Outman started Friday on the bench. Roberts said Outman would start Sunday against southpaw Steven Matz, and that Max Muncy might get a day off in the series finale.
Lux will still get some starts vs. left-handed pitching, but in some cases when he sits the Dodgers might start Kiké Hernández or Chris Taylor at second base to keep Betts at shortstop. But the general plan is when Rojas plays, it will be at shortstop, with Betts moving over to second base.
“It’s certainly not a platoon situation,” Roberts said. I want Mookie to get as many reps as possible at short, while also keeping Miguel Rojas involved.”
Friday particulars
Home runs: Mookie Betts (3), Teoscar Hernández 2 (2), Miguel Rojas (1)
WP — Bobby Miller (1-0): 6 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
LP — Dylan Thompson (0-1): 5⅓ IP, 6 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 4 strikeouts
Sv — Evan Phillips (2): 1 IP, 1 strikeout
