HOUSTON (AP) Kyle Tucker homered and drove in two runs against his former team to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 8-3 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
Tucker’s home run came in a four-run third inning that broke open a close game, pushing the lead to 7-2. He’s in his first season with the Dodgers after spending last year with the Cubs following seven seasons in Houston.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched six strong innings and Alex Freeland homered and tied a career high with three hits to help the Dodgers to their second straight win following a four-game skid. Yamamoto (3-2) allowed five hits and three runs with eight strikeouts for his first win since April 7.
Zach Cole hit a solo home run for the Astros in his season debut after being recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land before the game. Houston played without catcher Yainer Diaz, who was a late scratch because of a left abdominal injury.
Steven Okert started, but got just two outs in a bullpen game for Houston before being replaced by Ryan Weiss (0-3), who allowed eight hits and seven runs – six earned – in 4 1/3 innings.
Tucker put the Dodgers up early with his two-out RBI single in the first.
The Astros tied it in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring single by Jose Altuve with two outs. Houston took a 2-1 lead when a run scored on a wild pitch by Yamamoto.
Freeland tied it with his home run with one out in the second. Shohei Ohtani walked before scoring on a two-out double by Will Smith.
Tucker’s shot to the seats in right field to open the third extended the lead to 4-2. The bases were loaded with one out in the inning when Ohtani grounded into a force out that scored another run.
Freddie Freeman hit an RBI single, and a fielding error by Cam Smith on the play allowed another run to score, pushing the lead to 7-2. Freeman drove in another run with a single in the fifth.
Cole’s home to right field came with one out in the fifth and cut the lead to 8-3.
Dodgers RHP Shohei Ohtani (2-1, 0.60 ERA) opposes RHP Peter Lambert (1-2, 3.52) when the series continues Tuesday night.
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