Mookie Betts matched his career high with five hits in the completion of a suspended game and Kiké Hernández homered and doubled twice in the scheduled game to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Cleveland Guardians 6-1 and 9-3 on Thursday.
Betts singled four times in the first six innings in the early game and had a two-run double in the eighth for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who are 19-3 in August. The seven-time All-Star, who also had five hits for Boston against Kansas City on Aug. 26, 2016, had three RBIs on the day. Betts was 9 for 11 in the three-game series and is batting .568 during a 12-game hitting streak.
Hernández had four hits and four RBIs on the day.
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Michael Busch hit his first major league homer in the scheduled game as the Dodgers rallied from a 2-0 deficit. Busch and James Outman had two RBIs apiece, and Freddie Freeman went 2 for 4.
Ryan Pepiot (1-0) allowed one run in four innings for Los Angeles. Rookie Gavin Williams (1-5) gave up a season-high seven runs in 4 1/3 innings and is winless in eight straight starts.
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Gabriel Arias hit a solo homer and scored on a double-steal with Will Brennan for the Guardians, who went 2-5 on an eight-day homestand that featured manager Terry Francona contemplating his retirement at the end of the season.
Los Angeles led the suspended game 3-1 lead after two innings Wednesday when heavy rain forced play to be suspended after 1 hour, 37 minutes.
Gus Varland (1-0) worked 1 1/3 innings for his first big league win as seven pitchers combined for a four-hitter. Guardians starter Xzavion Curry (3-2) gave up three runs in two innings.
HOMECOMING
Guardians C Eric Haase, who was claimed off waivers from Detroit on Monday, appeared in his first game with the franchise since 2019. He went 1 for 4 after batting .201 with four homers and 26 RBIs for the Tigers.
Haase was a seventh-round pick by Cleveland in the 2011 amateur draft but only played in 19 major league games before being designated for assignment eight years later.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery) is throwing against hitters in one-inning simulated situations at the team’s training complex in Glendale, Arizona.
Guardians: C Cam Gallagher (concussion) was activated from the 7-day injured list between games. Rookie SS Brayan Rocchio was optioned to Triple-A Columbus.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Lance Lynn (9-9, 5.60 ERA) makes his fifth start for Los Angeles in the opener of a three-game series in Boston. Lynn is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA since being acquired from the White Sox.
Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (9-3, 3.01 ERA) pitches the first game of a three-game series in Toronto. Bibee is tied for first among AL rookies in victories with Houston’s Hunter Brown and J.P. France.
