Andy Pages has walkoff single in the 11th inning, Dodgers outlast Braves 4-3

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages had a walkoff single in the 11th inning for his fourth hit of the game and the Los Angeles Dodgers outlasted the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Friday night.

Gavin Stone pitched well and Teoscar Hernandez homered in a matchup of two of baseball’s best teams. Austin Riley and Ronald Acuna Jr. homered for the Braves.

With Will Smith on second base in the 11th, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker intentionally walked Max Muncy. Teoscar Hernandez hit into a fielder’s choice and Pages, who battled Jesse Chavez (1-1) to a full count in an at-bat that lasted eight pitches.

“I was very happy to be able to do that,” Pages said through an interpreter. “My first career walkoff and just to be able to help the team win.”

Michael Grove (1-1) got the victory, retiring the side in the 11th. Orlando Arcia hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning for Atlanta to score Luke Williams from second.

The Dodgers answered in the bottom of the 10th. Shohei Ohtani singled to center field to score Chris Taylor from second. Ohtani was 1 for 2 with two walks and a stolen base, his seventh of the season.

Stone pitched six strong innings and allowed just one run. He struck out five and allowed five hits. The 25-year-old Stone, who made just eight appearances in his first year in the majors last season, is making strides in the Dodgers rotation, especially with Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Bobby Miller out with injuries.'

“Way different,” Stone said of his outing this year versus last year against the Braves. “I’m way more confident on the mound and way more confident in my pitches. Yeah, just way different.”

Charlie Morton allowed two earned runs in six innings, scattering five hits and striking out five. Riley homered in the first inning, a 449-foot solo shot to left, which was his third of the season and first since April 7.

Two batters before, Acuna, who has struggled offensively this season, singled to short center field but later got picked off second base. In trying to get back to second, he stumbled and then hobbled on his right foot back to the dugout but stayed in the game and homered in the eighth inning to tie it at 2. In the third inning, Smith hit a run-scoring single to score Ohtani to tie it. Teoscar Hernandez hit a go-ahead solo home run to right field in the fourth inning. It was Hernandez’s seventh home run of the season.

“Watching (Pages) play, watching him develop these couple of weeks since he’s been up here, he’s a great guy and he’s always asking how to get better,” Hernandez said. “Just trying to be a better player, even better. And today he showed it. He’s made for big moments. He’s not afraid to go out there and have success at any moment.”

In the second inning, Jarrad Kelenic made a great throw from left field, an absolute perfect dart to catcher Travis d’Arnaud, to get a sliding Pages out at home plate. Acuna could be turning a corner on his struggles, perhaps gaining momentum with that homer.

“He’s still doing OK. He’s adding a lot to what we’re doing,” Snitker said before the game. “He’s scoring a lot of runs and making plays. He got a few hits the other day. He’s going to be fine.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: C Sean Murphy (oblique strain) is starting to swing a bat and is doing catching drills, according to Snitker.

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (left shoulder) played catch with Walker Buehler Friday and threw his first bullpen since surgery six months ago … RHP Bobby Miller (right shoulder inflammation) threw off the mound … RHP Walter Buehler (Tommy John surgery) will make his first start in almost two years on Monday against the Marlins.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Bryce Elder (1-0, 1.50 ERA) makes his third start of the season Saturday, opposing Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 2.72 ERA).

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

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani singles during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Chris Taylor scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) throws to first after outting Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages (84) during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. runs the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. returns to the dugout after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after a single during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Chris Taylor scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages singles during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Will Smith scored. The Dodgers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages (84) celebrates with Teoscar Hernández after a single during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Will Smith scored. The Dodgers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages singles during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Will Smith scored. The Dodgers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages (84) leaves the field after a walk-off single during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. Will Smith scored. The Dodgers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Will Smith (16) scores on a walk-off single hit by Andy Pages during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Friday, May 3, 2024. The Dodgers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn hit two-run homers, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Boston 10-6 on Friday night to drop the Red Sox below .500 for the first time since the season’s opening week.

Nolan Arenado had three hits that included an RBI single in the eighth after entering in a 3-for-27 slide.

“I think today we were just locked in on just competing and we were in it,” Arenado said.

Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson also went deep for the Cardinals, who matched season highs for runs, hits (14) and homers. St. Louis has had at least 10 hits in five of its last six games.

“A lot of good at-bats tonight from everybody, you know, and stringing them together as well,” Burleson said. “Just, you know, singled them to death when we needed to and then, you know, had a couple of long balls mixed in there too. So, a lot of fun to watch when we’re clicking.”

Winn’s two-run homer off Cam Booser was the first home run of Winn’s big league career.

“He came up to me right before that at bat, he said I’m going to be taking some big swings,” Nootbaar said. “And I was like, do it, dude, why not?”

Boston has lost three straight and 10 of 14, falling to 22-23. The Red Sox had not been under .500 since a 1-2 start.

Kyle Gibson (3-2) allowed five runs, eight hits and three walks in six-plus innings as the Cardinals won for the fourth time in five games.

Brayan Bello (4-2) gave up a season-high five runs in a season-low 4 2/3 innings. Pitching on his 25th birthday, he tied a career-worst by allowing three homers.

“It was a bad outing,” Bello said through an interpreter. “The team did everything possible to score some runs, to get me some run support, but I wasn’t able to make the adjustment tonight.”

Nootbaar put the Cardinals ahead when he drove a changeup 430 feet over the center-field wall for his third home run in 10 days.

“Hitting’s contagious and you have handful of guys that have some knocks and all of a sudden you feel a little bit better about yourself and have more confidence,” Nootbaar said.

David Hamilton’s two-run triple tied the score in the second. Tyler O’Neill scored on the hit and received a standing ovation in his return to St. Louis, his team from 2018-23.

Gorman homered in the second and Rafael Devers tied the score 3-3 with a 443-foot drive in the third — he is 9 for 20 against Gibson with three extra-base hits.

“We were what, 3 for 12 with runners in scoring position?” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But the at-bats are getting better, which is, you know, a positive.”

Burleson homered leading off the fourth and Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI single for a 5-3 lead in the fifth.

“Today was fun, man,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “Up and down the lineup, not a whole lot of breathing room. Extra-base hits, homers, some key hits when they were needed from just about everybody. So, offense looked really really good today.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Garrett Whitlock (left oblique strain) experienced soreness in his right elbow following a rehab start and has been shut down. Whitlock, who threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings at Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, returned to Boston and will undergo imaging tests over the weekend.

Cardinals: C Willson Contreras (left forearm fracture) had his cast removed and still hopes to return around the All-Star break. … RHP Giovanny Gallegos (right shoulder impingement) threw a bullpen session.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals will start RHP Miles Mikolas (3-5, 6.19 ERA) against RHP Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.24 ERA) and the Red Sox on Saturday night. Mikolas allowed just one run in six innings in his lone career start last year against Boston. Crawford gave up four runs in four innings in his only career start against St. Louis in 2022.

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

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt fields a ground ball hit by Boston Red Sox's Dominic Smith in the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson, right, is congratulated by teammate Ivan Herrera (48) after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

Boston Red Sox's center fielder Jarren Duran jumps at the wall but is unable to catch a home-run hit by St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' shortstop Masyn Winn (0) is congratulated by teammate Ivan Herrera (48) after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals' Paul Goldschmidt hits an RBI single in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

Boston Red Sox first baseman Dominic Smith catches a foul ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan in the sixth inning of a baseball, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher John King throws in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)

St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar (21), center, and teammates celebrate after their victory in a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, May 17, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)