Will Smith and Alex Call help Dodgers overcome mistakes in win over Giants

Dodgers pinch hitter Alex Call celebrates in the dugout after scoring in the sixth inning of a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. Call hit a two-run single earlier in the inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night, reclaiming first in the National League West after San Diego lost to Milwaukee.

The Dodgers also escaped a third straight series loss at home ahead of their weekend road series against the Angels . Designated hitter Will Smith , whom Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described earlier in the day as “unflappable,” hit from the leadoff spot and homered to right-center field in the first inning to set the tone for the series-splitting win. The decision to put Smith in the leadoff spot allowed Roberts to maximize the 31-year-old’s plate appearances without moving other players after Shohei Ohtani was held out of the lineup.

Read more: Kiké Hernández 'little bit shocked' by reception in Albuquerque while on rehab assignment The Dodgers (26-18) are trying to lighten Ohtani's workload after his recent struggles at the plate. It’s the first time a healthy Ohtani has been out of back-to-back batting orders, except for the paternity list, since the universal designated hitter rule was implemented in 2022. Though the Dodgers outlasted the Giants (18-26) without Ohtani's help, the team’s compounded mistakes almost cost it a win.

In the second inning, the bottom of the lineup strung together two hits to score Max Muncy, who reached on a walk. However, after Miguel Rojas softly hit a ground ball to Giants starter Landen Roupp , Teoscar Hernández found himself stranded in no-man’s land after running toward home from third — there was no force play at the plate. Rojas, who stood on the basepath, slammed his helmet down in frustration after Smith struck out to end the inning.