Will Smith hits 1st leadoff HR as Dodgers beat Giants 5-2, regain sole NL West lead

TL;DR

Will Smith hit his first career leadoff home run, leading the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over the Giants. This win puts the Dodgers back in sole possession of first place in the NL West.

Key points

Will Smith hit his first career leadoff home run
Dodgers won 5-2 against the Giants
Alex Call had a tiebreaking two-run single
Dodgers regained first place in the NL West
Sheehan struck out six over six innings

Will SmithAlex CallLos Angeles DodgersSan Francisco Giants

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith hit his first career leadoff home run and pinch-hitter Alex Call had a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night in the series finale. Smith was in the leadoff spot that usually belongs to Shohei Ohtani, who was given a second straight night off as designated hitter amid an offensive slump. Smith went deep to right-center off Landen Roupp (5-4) in the bottom of the first. The win moved the Dodgers back into sole possession of first in the NL West after the San Diego Padres lost earlier Thursday. Los Angeles salvaged a split in the four-game series to avoid losing its first series to the Giants at home since June 16-18, 2023. With two outs, Call singled to right off reliever Matt Gage, scoring Max Muncy, who grounded into a fielder's choice, and Teoscar Hernández, who singled. Miguel Rojas followed with an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead. The Giants tied it at 2 on ’s inside-the-park, two-run homer off (3-1) with two outs in the fifth. 's RBI single extended the Dodgers' lead to 2-0 in the second. Sheehan allowed two runs and two hits while striking out six over six innings. retired the side in the ninth to earn his fourth save. Roupp gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings and struck out seven.

Q&A

What was the significance of Will Smith's leadoff home run?

Will Smith's leadoff home run marked the first of his career and contributed to the Dodgers' victory, helping them regain the lead in the NL West.

How did the Dodgers secure their win against the Giants?

The Dodgers secured their win with a tiebreaking two-run single by Alex Call in the sixth inning, following Smith's home run and an earlier RBI single by Hyeseong Kim.

What impact did this game have on the Dodgers' standings?

This victory allowed the Dodgers to reclaim sole possession of first place in the NL West after the San Diego Padres lost earlier in the day.