River Ryan strikes out 8 in first major league win, Dodgers hit 3 home runs in 6-2 win over Astros

HOUSTON — Teoscar Hernández hit his 22nd home run, River Ryan had eight strikeouts in his first major league win and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Sunday.

Gavin Lux and James Outman also homered and Shohei Ohtani stole his career-high 27th base for the Dodgers, who entered the game 1-7 on the road in July.

“It was a great win all the way through,” Lux said. “Taking a win away from a really good team, obviously avoiding the sweep, having some momentum going into the off day. I think we all really wanted to win.”

With the Dodgers clinging to a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning, Hernández spun a slider from Bryan King and sent the ball 361 feet into the left-field seats. Cavan Biggio increased the Dodgers’ lead with an RBI single to center field, scoring Lux, who had walked, to make it 5-2.

Jason Heyward added another run with an RBI sacrifice fly in the ninth, scoring Ohtani.

“We need all of that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We got production all over the lineup. That was a good thing.”

After the first inning, Ryan (1-0) struck out six of the next 10 batters he faced through the fourth. The rookie didn’t give up a hit until Jon Singleton hit a double off the right-field bullpen fence to start the sixth inning.

Ryan retired the next two batters on fly balls to center field, but he had reached his 91st pitch, so Roberts elected to go to the bullpen.

“It was good to see him use that four-pitch mix effectively,” Roberts said. “We pushed him. I don’t think he’s thrown more than 74 pitches in his professional career. He was in a good position and I thought he gave it his all. He gave us everything he had.”

Ryan allowed one run on two hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s something you work for your whole life pitching in the big leagues,” Ryan said of his first win. “Luckily I was able to come away with a win today.”

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti (4-9) struck out five of the first eight batters he faced. He retired eight straight batters starting in the second inning until allowing a solo home run to Outman in the fifth.

“I felt good, I tried to treat everybody the same,” Arrighetti said. “Obviously, a full stadium on a Sunday against the Dodgers, I’m going to be a little excited. I was happy it went well.”

Lux continued his hot streak with a two-run home run 379 feet to right field in the sixth inning. Since the All-Star break, Lux has hit three home runs and driven in seven runs.

“He competes very well and plays the ball well,” Roberts said.

Arrighetti allowed three runs on four hits, walked two and struck out eight.

Yainer Diaz hit a two-run home run for the Astros in the sixth inning, but Houston was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

“Offensively, this guy can go straight to the goal,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Diaz. “He can hit hard. He does a good job of protecting Yordan Alvarez.”

Los Angeles’ Austin Barnes extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single to left field in the fifth inning.

TRAINERS’ ROOM

Dodgers: Right-handed relief pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (right triceps tightness) is expected to throw a workout Friday.

Astros: Right-handed starting pitcher Jusin Verlander (neck discomfort) and right-handed starting pitcher Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) will both pitch from the mound Tuesday at Minute Maid Park.

FOLLOWING

Dodgers: Right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow (8-6, 3.47 ERA) will face right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron (6-9, 3.64 ERA) when Los Angeles opens a two-game series against the Padres on Tuesday.

Astros: Right-handed pitcher Jake Bloss (0-1, 6.94 ERA) faces right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes (6-1, 1.93 ERA) as Houston opens a three-game home series against the Pirates on Monday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb