Andy Pages Crushes Homer, Drives in Four Runs as Dodgers Clinch Series Win and Hold Firm Atop the NL West Standings

On a sun-soaked afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the crowd roared with each crack of Andy Pages’ bat. The rookie outfielder delivered a career-defining performance, slugging a towering home run and driving in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a statement victory over their division rivals. With the win, the Dodgers claimed the series and preserved their top spot in the NL West, showcasing once again why they remain one of the most dangerous teams in all of baseball.

Pages, who entered the series finale batting .257 with six homers, stepped into the batter’s box with the kind of quiet confidence that’s becoming his signature. He didn’t waste any time making his presence felt. In the bottom of the second inning, with two runners aboard and two outs, Pages launched a hanging curveball deep into the left-field pavilion for a three-run shot that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The 420-foot blast not only gave the Dodgers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, it also underscored the offensive depth the team continues to flaunt.

“I just saw the pitch I was looking for,” Pages said postgame through a translator. “He [the pitcher] made a mistake and I took advantage of it. That’s what we’re taught to do.”

The Dodgers’ 7–3 win over the San Diego Padres capped off a competitive three-game series that served as a reminder of the NL West’s intensity. Every pitch mattered, every miscue was punished, and every big moment seemed to feature a different hero in Dodger blue. But on this day, Pages owned the spotlight.

His fourth RBI came in the sixth inning with a line-drive single up the middle that scored Freddie Freeman from second. It was a textbook example of situational hitting — taking what the pitcher gives you and executing with precision. For manager Dave Roberts, it was just the latest example of Pages’ growing comfort and maturity at the plate.

“Andy’s got incredible poise for a young player,” Roberts said. “He’s not trying to do too much. When you combine his power with his patience, you get performances like today.”

With injuries hitting parts of their lineup — most notably Max Muncy and Jason Heyward still working their way back — the Dodgers have leaned heavily on young players like Pages to deliver. And deliver he has. The 23-year-old Cuban prospect has quickly turned from a rotational experiment into an everyday starter, earning his place in the outfield with both his bat and glove.

He wasn’t alone in sparking the offense, either. Freeman, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, continues to be the engine of the Dodgers lineup. Shohei Ohtani added two hits and a stolen base, keeping pressure on the Padres’ pitching staff throughout. The team finished with 11 hits, chasing Padres starter Dylan Cease after just 4.2 innings and turning the game into a bullpen chess match the Dodgers were more than ready for.

On the mound, Gavin Stone gave the Dodgers a quality start, tossing six innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out five. He wasn’t overpowering, but he was efficient and composed, limiting hard contact and stranding runners in key spots. The Dodgers’ bullpen — anchored by Evan Phillips and Brusdar Graterol — closed the door with three shutout innings, sealing the victory and lowering the collective ERA of one of the best relief corps in baseball.

For all their talent, this win was more than just another notch in the win column. It sent a message. The Padres have been trying to close the gap all season, loading up on bats and getting healthier with each passing week. But in this pivotal early-summer series, it was the Dodgers who looked like the more complete and playoff-ready team. And it was their rookie slugger who delivered the biggest blow.

“I’ve dreamed of days like this,” said Pages. “It feels good to help the team win. But I’m just getting started.”

The series win improves Los Angeles’ record to 43–27, giving them a 4.5-game lead in the NL West over the surging Padres. More importantly, it provides them with critical momentum as they begin a challenging East Coast road trip that will include stops in Philadelphia and New York.

The Dodgers know that staying on top in a division as brutal as the NL West is never easy. The Giants and Diamondbacks have underachieved to this point, but both are capable of making second-half runs. San Diego has the offensive firepower to steal any series. But what makes this Dodgers team so dangerous is their blend of veteran leadership and emerging youth. Mookie Betts and Freeman set the tone, Ohtani provides superstar wattage, and young players like Pages bring energy, unpredictability, and upside.

“We’ve seen so many great Dodgers teams over the last decade,” said broadcaster Joe Davis during the game’s final innings. “But what separates this one could be the youth movement. They’re not just role players — they’re winning games.”

Indeed, Pages wasn’t even the only rookie contributing. Miguel Vargas also drew a key walk in the fourth and made a slick double-play turn at second base. The Dodgers’ player development pipeline is a model for the rest of the league, and it’s paying dividends yet again in 2025.

As for Pages, the future looks increasingly bright. Sunday’s performance bumped his season total to seven home runs and 26 RBIs in just 48 games. His OPS now sits just over .800, a testament to his combination of patience and power. His strikeout rate, a concern in the minors, has steadily improved, and his defensive metrics show steady improvement in both right and center field.

Roberts didn’t shy away from praising him afterward.

“He’s earned his spot,” Roberts said. “We’re watching a star grow up in front of our eyes.”

For a team like the Dodgers, with perennial championship expectations, the infusion of young blood like Pages isn’t just a bonus — it’s a necessity. As the postseason looms in the distance and every series begins to carry more weight, having another bat that can change a game is exactly what the front office envisioned when they committed to developing from within despite making big-name free agent splashes.

The crowd chanted his name as he rounded the bases after his home run. By the time he returned to the dugout, he was met with a mixture of high-fives, Gatorade splashes, and the kind of respect only earned through performance. In Los Angeles, you don’t just inherit the right to wear Dodger blue — you earn it.

Pages earned it on Sunday.

And with his bat doing the talking, the message was clear: The Dodgers are still the team to beat — and their newest star just might be the reason why.