Betts sets leadoff record in victory
LOS ANGELES — Mookie Betts set a Dodgers record for leadoff home runs and Teoscar Hernández added his first two long balls for Los Angeles in a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.
Betts hit his 29th leadoff homer for the Dodgers on the first pitch from Zack Thompson (0-1).
Bobby Miller (1-0) struck out a career-high 11, allowing two hits and a walk in six innings, and Evan Phillips pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Betts, in his fifth season with the Dodgers after a trade from the Boston Red Sox, broke a tie for leadoff homers with Davey Lopes, who played for Los Angeles 197281.
Betts moved into sole possession of fifth place on the major leagues’ leadoff home run list with his 49th, breaking a tie with Ian Kinsler. Betts trails Rickey Henderson (81), George Springer (57), Alfonso Soriano (54) and Craig Biggio (53).
Betts’ home run to left was nearly identical to the one he hit Thursday in the Dodgers’ home opener. He has home runs in three consecutive games. A seven-time All-star and the 2018 AL MVP, Betts has 255 home runs in 11 seasons.
Hernández, who signed a $23.5 million contract, hit a solo homer in the second over the bullpen gate to the opposite field in right, then hit a three-run drive in the fourth that bounced off the top of the left-center field wall and into the stands for a 5-0 lead
Miguel Rojas added his first home run of the season in the seventh off Giovanny Gallegos. Rojas didn’t hit his first last season until Aug. 2.
Thompson (0-1) gave up five runs and six hits in 5⅓ innings as the Cardinals dropped to 0-2. Nolan Gorman had a tworun double in a three-run eighth.