After amassing only 11 runs in the previous five games and going six games without a home run, their longest drought since July 2014, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense finally broke out on Monday.

The Dodgers opened a three-game interleague series against the host Houston Astros with an 8-3 victory that featured home runs from Alex Freeland and Kyle Tucker, and three-hit games from Freeland and Will Smith.

Freddie Freeman and Tucker posted two hits and two RBIs apiece as the Dodgers feasted on the Astros’ beleaguered pitching.

“I like where our guys’ heads are at,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “There is a new sense of revitalization, walking around the clubhouse.

“(The Astros have) a pitching staff that certainly has scuffled a little bit. And if we can get into some good counts, take advantage of some hitters’ counts — yeah, it is a hitter-friendly ballpark. Hopefully, we just take some good at-bats and grind, and mix in some slug, too.”

Right-hander Shohei Ohtani (2-1, 0.60 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Ohtani sustained his first loss in his previous start, a 2-1 setback to the Miami Marlins last Tuesday, after allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks with nine strikeouts over six innings. Ohtani has logged exactly six innings in all five of his starts this season, with three of those outings scoreless.

Ohtani is 3-6 with a 3.89 ERA across 14 career starts against the Astros. He worked two scoreless innings against them on July 5, 2025, allowing one hit and striking out three. He did not factor into the decision of a 6-4 home loss.

Right-hander Peter Lambert (1-2, 3.52 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros on Tuesday.

He worked a season-low 4 1/3 innings in a 10-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Lambert will make his second home start this season and first since absorbing a 9-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 17.

Lambert is 0-3 with a 10.13 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) against the Dodgers. In his previous outing against them on June 2, 2024, he worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Colorado Rockies, allowing one hit and three walks with three strikeouts.

The Astros, ravaged by injuries to their pitching staff, used an opener for a second consecutive game on Monday, with left-hander Steven Okert working in back-to-back games and Houston using five pitchers in both contests. Among the 13 players currently on the injured list are eight pitchers, but Houston could field reinforcements in the near term.

Right-handers Tatsuya Imai and Nate Pearson are scheduled to make rehab appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, with left-handed closer Josh Hader likely to do the same.

“Things are moving in the right direction,” Astros manager Joe Espada said.

–Field Level Media

Former Seattle Mariners pitcher Jamie Moyer often said that solo homers won’t beat you.

Seattle’s Logan Gilbert proved that Monday night.

Gilbert allowed four solo shots, but the Mariners came away with a 5-4 victory against the visiting Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game series.

“Four of them is not ideal, but I guess it held true tonight,” Gilbert said of the adage.

The interleague series will continue Tuesday night in Seattle.

Matt Olson hit his 300th career homer, and Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley also went deep for the Braves, giving them a 4-0 lead through 5 1/2 innings.

Atlanta rookie right-hander JR Ritchie, a native of nearby Bainbridge Island, Wash., held the Mariners scoreless until the sixth. He walked the first two batters before allowing a three-run homer to Luke Raley.

Raley, mired in a 1-for-24 slump, took the traditional walk the length of the dugout with the Mariners’ home-run trident, then sought hitting coach Edgar Martinez to give him a hug.

“He made some adjustments,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Raley. “Because of how hard he works and how much he cares, it’s good to see.”

The Braves brought in reliever Tyler Kinley, who walked Mitch Garver and allowed a two-run shot to J.P. Crawford that put Seattle ahead.

“Ritchie threw the ball really well … he had a tough start to the sixth with a couple of walks. Kinley has been unbelievable for us; he’s done a heck of a job and Crawford got him there,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “We were trying to squeeze a few more outs out of Ritchie because we didn’t have enough available (arms) in the bullpen. We were really light, and that’s what happens.”

So to recap: Three walks and two homers beat four solo shots.

“These guys play with a lot of heart, and tonight was no exception,” Wilson said. “They fell behind and they came right back.”

The Mariners snapped a three-game skid and handed the Braves just their fourth loss in the past 19 games.

Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy made his season debut after recovering from hip surgery last September. The Braves designated Jonah Heim for assignment to clear a roster spot and traded Heim to the Athletics for cash on Monday night.

“It’s good to have Murph back; he’s been a big part of this the past few years,” Weiss said.

Tuesday’s game will feature a pair of right-handers in the Braves’ Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.88 ERA) against the Mariners’ George Kirby (4-2, 3.00).

Elder took his second straight no-decision Thursday against visiting Detroit despite allowing one earned run on six hits over six innings as the Braves lost 5-2. He is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in one previous start against Seattle.

Kirby had a streak of three consecutive victories snapped when he took a no-decision Wednesday at Minnesota in a game the Mariners won 5-3 with three runs in the top of the ninth. He gave up two runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Kirby is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts vs. the Braves.

–Field Level Media