ANAHEIM — The Dodgers walked into Angel Stadium expecting a routine night of baseball. Instead, they were forced into a scramble when their scheduled starter was scratched and placed on the injured list just hours before first pitch. What could have been a setback turned into one of their most composed and confident wins of the season.
Rookie Will Klein was handed the ball with little warning and responded with poise, delivering two clean innings that steadied the Dodgers and set the tone for the night. From there, the bullpen took over in waves. Seven relievers combined to allow only two hits, keeping the Angels from advancing a runner past second base.
The offense didn’t strike early, but when it arrived, it arrived loudly.
In the fourth inning, Andy Pages launched a three‑run home run to left‑center, breaking open a scoreless game. Max Muncy followed three pitches later with a solo shot of his own, turning a quiet night into a sudden four‑run surge. The Dodgers added more in the sixth when Teoscar Hernández ended a long home‑run drought with a two‑run drive to right.
With a six‑run cushion and a bullpen refusing to bend, the Dodgers controlled the rest of the night. The game moved quickly, finishing in two hours and thirty minutes, and the shutout snapped a seven‑game losing streak to the Angels.
What began as a scramble ended as a statement: even on a night full of uncertainty, the Dodgers found a way to take control and never let go.