UNDERSTUDIES

With big three going 1 for 11, Hernandez and Muncy steal show as Dodgers edge Cardinals

LOS ANGELES » With the Dodgers' 3-D lineup struggling to jump off the page, Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy finished off a stand-out day in a 5-4 victory Sunday over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman sold the tickets, then went a combined 1 for 11. The lone hit was an Ohtani double in the sixth inning that proved key when he scored on a Hernandez double to

Up next:

Walker Buehler successful in rehab start, could move up return date.

THE SCORE DODGERS 5, CARDINALS 4 Giants at Dodgers, today, 7:10p.m., SNLA

Inside:

give the Dodgers their first run of the day.

The Dodgers trailed 4-2 in the eighth when Hernandez reached across the plate and lifted a home run to left field to bring the Dodgers within a run.

Muncy, who didn't even start the game against left-hander Steven Matz, still made an impact.

He entered the game in the sixth inning and delivered a pinch-hit single to load the bases in advance of an RBI groundout from James Outman for the second run.

In the eighth against Cardinals left-hander John King, it was vintage Muncy as he crushed a 2-1 slider into the seats in right, holding his pose for a split second before flipping his bat to the ground.

“It's fun,” said Muncy, who conveyed that initially with his bat flip. “It felt good for me personally, but most importantly it gave our team a chance to win and that's what I've always cared about the most, putting our team in the best position to win.”

The Dodgers' comeback Sunday had its roots in a late charge Saturday that fell just short in an extra-inning loss to the Cardinals. The Dodgers trailed 5-2 in that game, then tied it in the ninth with two runs.

“We might've lost last night,