Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith singles during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. Freddie Freeman scored. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) steals second base ahead of a throw to Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (14) during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Colorado Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar celebrates after a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) steps up to bat during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, center, throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) warms up in the dugout before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) laughs in the dugout during the first inning a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) greets third base coach Dino Ebel (91) after Gavin Lux was walked during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and third base coach Dino Ebel, left, watch as Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Matt Carasiti (29) warms up during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) talks with third base coach Dino Ebel (91) and left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) as the Colorado Rockies switch pitchers during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) leads off of second during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) talks with third base coach Dino Ebel (91) and left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) as the Colorado Rockies switch pitchers during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) greets first base coach Clayton McCullough (86) after a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs to first on a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) singles during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs to first on a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) celebrates with relief pitcher Evan Phillips (59) after a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith throws to first to out Colorado Rockies’ Brenton Doyle during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates with left fielder Teoscar Hernández after a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips after a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with third baseman Kikè Hernández after a 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ bats woke up in a nice way on Saturday after taking a snooze for most of the opener against the Colorado Rockies one night earlier.
And most promising of all, Freddie Freeman was right there.
Freeman had two hits with a triple, Andy Pages had three hits and scored twice, and the Dodgers bounced back with a 4-1 win on Saturday.
“Other than that spot, we’ve been in a good spot for the whole season,” left fielder Teoscar Hernández said. “It’s going to be up and down throughout the year, but we try to minimize that and try to come back the next day. Same thing that we did today.”
Manager Dave Roberts had noted before the game how the offense had been one of the best in baseball even with Freeman not producing at his usual pace and the bottom of the lineup often struggling.
Both of those issues remedied themselves a few hours later.
“I think up and down the lineup, you saw good productive at-bats, which was very helpful tonight,” Roberts said.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the second, Hernández scored from first on throwing errors by Elehuris Montero and Sean Bouchard to tie the score, and Jason Heyward’s RBI double to the wall in right center put the Dodgers ahead 2-1.
Kiké Hernández made it 3-1 in the fourth on a base hit into the gap in left center.
Freeman helped out in the fifth, scoring on a double by Will Smith to make it 4-1 after hustling to reach third when Bouchard couldn’t make a leaping grab down the line in left field.
Freeman had gone hitless in each of his previous three home games, and it was just the third extra-base hit in his past nine outings at Dodger Stadium.
“Freddie, it was good to see him get a couple of knocks tonight,” Roberts said.
Freeman could have picked up an RBI if Shohei Ohtani hadn’t been caught in a rundown between second and third in the third. Roberts said Ohtani, who went 1 for 3 with a walk, was not at fault for the gaffe.
“There was a tendency that we were kind of looking at, and it just didn’t work out, so that happens in baseball,” Roberts said. “That’s a calculated risk we took, and I got no problem with it.”
The only standout name who didn’t get in the mix was Mookie Betts, who went 0 for 5.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-2) provided six strong innings, giving up one run on seven hits and a walk. He struck out seven, fanning Kris Bryant to end the first with a runner at third.
“I thought the fastball was commanded real well,” Roberts said. “I thought the split was good at times, and the curveball usage picked up those last couple innings. And it was good to see him get through six, it was really a good one for him.”
Yamamoto did give up some contact, but he also rarely found himself in real trouble and was able to work out of in those instances. He made quick work of the Rockies in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing him to extend his outing.
“Although my pitch count was high and there were some runners on bases, I just focused on being able to get through it,” Yamamoto said through a translator.
Yamamoto also caused a brief delay before returning to the mound in the second. He broke a shoelace as he was coming out of the dugout, prompting a quick repair job.
Evan Phillips closed out the ninth, making his first appearance since May 3 after missing time because of a strained right hamstring. Phillips needed 11 pitches to retire the side.
“My goal was to stay as sharp as I possibly could through the time off,” Phillips said. “All the bullpen, (batting practices), the games in Rancho, that was a goal of mine to try to pitch like I had been.”
Phillips has now converted all nine of his save opportunities this season and 33 of 36 since taking over as the primary closer last season.
“Now we know every time we got the lead in the ninth inning, it’s close to 100 percent that we’re gonna win the game,” Teoscar Hernández said.
