DETROIT (AP) - Adrian Gonzalez went on the disabled list in the middle of June, when the Los Angeles Dodgers were just beginning this torrid stretch that has helped them all but wrap up the NL West.
He is finally healthy enough to contribute again.
Gonzalez doubled in his first plate appearance since June 11, one of six two-base hits for Los Angeles on Friday night in an 8-5 win over the Detroit Tigers.
“I was telling the guys - I’m just happy I’m not the guy that messes things up,” Gonzalez said. “We won. That’s the most important thing.”
Chris Taylor doubled twice among his four hits to help the Dodgers (86-34) win for the 20th time in their last 23 games and improve to 51-9 over their last 60.
Gonzalez was activated before the game after being out with a herniated lumbar disk. He doubled and scored in the second and hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Rich Hill (9-4) labored through five innings, allowing three runs and six hits, but the Dodgers gave him plenty of support. Corey Seager drove in three runs for Los Angeles, and Logan Forsythe scored three times.
Justin Upton homered twice and Victor Martinez also went deep for the Tigers, but Jordan Zimmermann (7-10) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Dodgers wasted little time wiping out that deficit. Forsythe hit an RBI single in the second, and Taylor added a run-scoring double. Seager’s two-run single put Los Angeles ahead 4-2.
“It is always a blow when you get the lead and give it right back,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “We’ve got to start getting more shutdown innings, because that’s when you take the wind out of a team. It gives them life if you score two and give them four right back.”
Joc Pederson and Taylor hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth to make it 6-3. It was Taylor’s third four-hit game of the season.
Zimmermann allowed seven runs for a second consecutive start. Detroit has lost five straight.
The Dodgers have won 37 consecutive games in which they’ve scored four or more runs.
“It’s incredible,” manager Dave Roberts said. “All the different numbers that people are kind of throwing together and throwing out at us, and I think that’s fun for everyone to hear, and it’s a credit to these guys that we keep hearing these different crazy statistics.”
With the Dodgers ahead 8-4, Kenley Jansen came on in a non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth and allowed a solo homer to Upton, the Detroit star’s fourth hit of the game. Miguel Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos added singles off Jansen, who eventually closed out the game by striking out Martinez and James McCann.
IN THE MARKET
Roberts said before the game newly acquired right-hander Yu Darvish would be a bit late joining the team in Detroit.
“He’s looking for a home,” Roberts said. “He’s back in Los Angeles with his family.”
Darvish isn’t scheduled to pitch in this series.
When asked if he had any house-hunting advice for Darvish, Roberts stated the obvious.
“I just said, ’Be mindful of the traffic. Get that reverse commute,’” Roberts said. “Whether he took heed or not, I’m not sure.”
GOOD FORTUNE
Upton’s homer off Jansen was a no-doubter, but his first three hits nearly became outs.
In the first, he hit a double to deep center that Pederson ran down but couldn’t catch. Two innings later, left fielder Cody Bellinger nearly robbed Upton of his solo homer. The ball bounced off Bellinger’s glove and over the fence.
Upton’s single in the fifth deflected off Taylor, the shortstop.
During his third-inning home run trot, Upton backtracked to touch first base , apparently concerned that he’d missed the bag initially.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (lower back strain) threw a bullpen session before the game, and Roberts said he’ll likely pitch a simulated game Tuesday or Wednesday when the team is in Pittsburgh. … While activating Gonzalez, Los Angeles optioned INF Rob Segedin to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Tigers: Detroit put RHP Anibal Sanchez (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day DL before the game and recalled OF JaCoby Jones from Triple-A Toledo.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-6) starts Saturday’s game at Detroit.
Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer (10-10) takes the mound in a game that will likely include a matchup of last year’s Rookie of the Year winners - Fulmer and Seager.
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