Dodgers open series with 7-3 win over Cardinals

[April 29, 2023]  Mookie Betts and Miguel Vargas hit home runs, Jason Heyward drove in two runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers returned home to earn a 7-3 victory Friday over the St. Louis Cardinals.
 
 Max Muncy had an RBI double in his return from the paternity list, and right-hander Dustin May (3-1) rebounded from a rocky first inning as the Dodgers won after finishing a seven-game road trip with a pair of losses to the Pittsburgh Pirates this week. 

Apr 28, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) is greeted after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Willson Contreras and Lars Nootbaar drove in runs for the Cardinals, and right-hander Jack Flaherty (2-3) gave up a season-high five runs (four earned) on 110 pitches over 4 2/3 innings in his return home. The Los Angeles-area native allowed seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

The Cardinals had a 1-0 lead before May got an out as Nootbaar walked to lead off the game and went to third on a double by Paul Goldschmidt. Nootbaar scored on a wild pitch by May, and Goldschmidt scored three batters later on Contreras' sacrifice fly.

The Dodgers had a quick response as Betts led off the bottom of the first inning with his fourth home run of the season on Flaherty's fifth pitch. Freddie Freeman followed with a single, Muncy worked a one-out walk and Heyward singled to right against his former club to tie the game 2-2.

After Heyward made a sliding catch in right field on a Nolan Arenado drive to save a run in the top of the third inning, the Dodgers charged in front in the bottom half of the frame. Freeman singled and Muncy brought him home with a double to right-center. Heyward's double just inside the third-base bag scored Muncy for a 4-2 advantage.

The Dodgers loaded the bases in the fifth inning against Flaherty and scored when James Outman was hit by a pitch for a 5-2 lead. Vargas' two-run home run in the seventh, for a 7-2 lead, was his first of the season.

Nootbaar had an RBI single in the ninth inning for the Cardinals.

May gave up two runs on three hits over five innings with four walks and four strikeouts.

--Field Level Media

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