Freese, Dodgers rally in 7th for 5-3 victory over Giants

LOS ANGELES (AP) — David Freese’s two-run double in the seventh inning helped the Los Angeles Dodgers rally for a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.

The win capped a season-opening homestand in which the Dodgers won five of seven.

Austin Barnes led off the Dodgers seventh with a double and Enrique Hernandez walked with one out. After Justin Turner flied out, Freese hit a 2-2 fastball from Reyes Moronta (0-1) off the wall in right center field for a 4-3 lead.

The Giants bullpen came into the game with the NL’s best earned run average (1.50). The three earned runs they allowed in four innings matched how many they had allowed in 18 innings in the previous six games.

Hernandez and Cody Bellinger each had two hits and drove in a run. Hernandez’s home run in the first gave the Dodgers a homer in their first seven games, a team record to start the season.

Scott Alexander (1-0) got the win in relief and Kenley Jansen got his third save.

Dodgers starter Ross Stripling allowed three earned runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander faced the minimum and allowed only one hit through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth, when he allowed two home runs and three runs.

Brandon Belt and Steve Duggar homered for San Francisco. The Giants have dropped both series to start the season and are 2-5.

The Dodgers got to Derek Holland for two runs in the first. Hernandez hit his fifth career leadoff home run, and Freese walked and later scored on Bellinger’s two-out single.

The Giants rallied with three in the fourth on home runs by Duggar and Belt.

The Dodgers added a run in the eighth when Bellinger scored on Chris Taylor’s double.

PICKING UP FROM LAST YEAR

Hernandez has hit safely in his last 10 games, dating to Sep. 28 of last season. The second baseman is batting .513 (20 for 39) during that span.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Roberts said he expected LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder inflammation) would need to make one more rehab start after Thursday’s start for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

UP NEXT

Giants: Are off on Thursday before their home opener on Friday against Tampa Bay. Right-hander Dereck Rodríguez (1-0, 3.60) gets the starting assignment.

Dodgers: Are on the road for the next seven games, starting Friday in Colorado with right-hander Kenta Maeda (1-0, 4.05).