After another frustrating loss due to the offense continuing to struggle, the Dodgers got the worst possible start when Tyler Glasnow exited with injury. However, led by Andy Pages‘ three homers, the bats backed the impromptu pen game by topping double digits against a battered Astros pitching staff to take the game 12-2 for a series win.
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Well, this was certainly an eventful game, especially with the two injury-prone pitchers on the mound showing why they have that reputation.
Tyler Glasnow started for the Dodgers, giving up a lead-off homer to Brice Matthews to make it 1-0 Astros just like that.
LEADOFF LAUNCH!#ChaseTheFight pic.twitter.com/vwdaRB4NUr
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 6, 2026
He rebounded by getting the next three, including a pair of strikeouts, but effectiveness was the least of his concerns. During his warmup for the 2nd inning, he felt a twinge and that led to Dave Roberts and the trainers meeting with him. Glasnow was subsequently removed from the game with lower-back pain.
Lower back pain, according to Kirsten Watson. Probably best-case scenario unless it’s some disc shit.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
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As I mentioned, on the other end was Lance McCullers Jr. and his injury problems, which eventually resurfaced as well.
Not in the 1st, though, as the Dodgers looked inept as ever to start against him.
The last three weeks of Dodgers offense summarized. pic.twitter.com/xyibB4EDF0
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
The Dodgers did end up tying the game in the 2nd, as Kyle Tucker led off with a double and looked like he might be stranded after a pair of outs left him at second. However, Dalton Rushing hit a chopper into the ground for an infield single to corner things, and then McCullers uncorked a wild pitch to score Tucker to make it 1-1.
The game-tying rally. A lead-off double off the bag, a strikeout, a first-pitch soft flyout, an infield single chopped into the ground, and a wild pitch, let’s gooooo. pic.twitter.com/IPR3vOS4uJ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
That was all they got in the 2nd, but McCullers appeared to be laboring, and the 3rd is when he tried to pitch through a blister issue. Alex Freeland started with a walk and then Shohei Ohtani broke his hitless streak with a double down the line in right. Both of them scored on consecutive wild pitches from McCullers to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
The first ever offense dependent on wild pitches. This is why the league can’t compete with the Dodgers. Innovation. Bleeding edge. pic.twitter.com/1piipWw57C
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
#MoriyamaSpecial https://t.co/0E1BVp5hO9
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
Freddie Freeman then drew a walk, and with one down Tucker also drew a walk. Later there were two down in the frame even despite McCullers barely being able to throw, but thankfully Andy Pages finally took advantage by hammering the eighth pitch of his at-bat for a laser out to left. It was his sixth homer of the year and made it 6-1 just like that.
Andy with a Houston Rocket. pic.twitter.com/2L2avpE1b1
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 6, 2026
Thought he missed it based on the reaction. pic.twitter.com/YRtOeQgZc2
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
That was it for McCullers, as Jason Alexander entered to finish the 3rd, and he was gonna have to wear this one. He continued in the 4th, and with two down he walked Shohei, who stole second and then scored on a Freeman double to make it 7-1.
After Ohtani walked and stole second, Freeman doubles into the oppo corner for a run. pic.twitter.com/Jfq8ZAxr50
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
The bats continued to add on in the 5th, as a one-out single from Max Muncy was followed by another Pages laser to left for his seventh dinger of the year to push the lead to 9-1.
ANDY AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/YFixyCxs22
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 6, 2026
Rushing followed by chopping another infield single, Hyeseong Kim singled as well, and with one out it was Ohtani slicing a ball through the infield for another single to make it 10-1 Dodgers.
Shohei slaps a single to make it double digits. pic.twitter.com/rVe5llJUlb
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
Alexander was still in the game for the 6th, where he worked around a lead-off single for a scoreless inning, his first. No such luck in the 7th, as a Kim triple was followed by a Freeland single to make it 11-1.
After Kim triples off the wall in left, Freeland follows with a single to make it 11. pic.twitter.com/xCI1vrSfDG
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
After 88 pitches from Alexander, finally another reliever entered, as Enyel De Los Santos
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Going back to the Dodgers, with Glasnow out the pen had to cover eight innings, so it’s good that Shohei went seven of eight yesterday and there’s a day off tomorrow.
Starting for the pen was Jack Dreyer, and he ended up getting a pair of frames, a clean 2nd and then working around a lead-off single in the 3rd. Next was Edgardo Henriquez, who also got a pair of innings, facing the minimum in the 4th thanks to a double play erasing a lead-off single and then got a 1-2-3 inning in the 5th.
Kyle Hurt was surprisingly only tasked with one inning, and got a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th. Blake Treinen ended the pen dominance, as he gave up a one-out single and was temporarily saved by a Pages catch.
Andy Pages is doing it all as he tracks down a flyball on the track to save at least a double. pic.twitter.com/w5XuVO1X6k
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
However, after a defensive indifference, Zach Cole singled for a two-out RBI to make it 11-2 Dodgers.
Tanner Scott followed with a quick nine-pitch frame in the 8th to continue his resurgence.
Meanwhile, against catcher Cesar Salazar in the 9th for the Astros, Pages got his three-homer game to make it 12-2. Five to eight homers on the year, just like that.
First career three-homer game for Andy! pic.twitter.com/dHelWxUJNi
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 6, 2026
Closing things out for the Dodgers was Brock Stewart in his season debut, and he looked great in the 9th. He struck out two and took just 10 pitches to close things out.
Brock Stewart strikes out two in a scoreless 10-pitch season debut inning. Nasty four-pitch sequence against Christian Walker to end it. pic.twitter.com/N4oOhlzOYq
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) May 6, 2026
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23-14, which is still a 101-win pace.
They’re off tomorrow as they travel home for a seven-game homestand that’ll begin with three against the red-hot Braves. It’ll start at the usual time of 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET with Emmet Sheehan on the bump against Chris Sale, which is a less than ideal pitching matchup.
Dave Roberts said Tyler Glasnow will get an MRI, but isn’t expected to go on the IL. https://t.co/RynnHiz4rL
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 6, 2026
