LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers rookies Ross Stripling and Grant Dayton got to face David Ortiz on Saturday when the Red Sox designated hitter made a rare start in the field in an NL park. It turned out to be a special experience for both pitchers.
Stripling and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and held Ortiz hitless in three at-bats while Los Angeles beat Boston 3-0.
Ortiz made his first start this season at first base and had two nice catches, but didn't do much at the plate.
Stripling got Ortiz to ground out with two men on in the first inning, and then got him to fly out to end the third.
"That will be something I look back on and really remember," Stripling said. "To think the legacy that he has and the year he's having, to get him out in a big jam in the first and to get him out again, that's pretty cool."
Stripling (3-3) pitched five innings after being called up from the minors when pitcher Bud Norris was put on the disabled list.
Making his first start for the Dodgers since May 19, he gave up hits to the first two batters and loaded the bases in the first inning. He retired Sandy Leon on a soft grounder back to the mound to end the inning.
"That was probably the biggest pitch I threw all day, looking back," Stripling said. "I threw a 3-2 changeup after a 2-2 changeup ... and was lucky I fooled him a little bit."
Stripling settled down after the rough start to retire 15 of the last 18 hitters he faced, allowing four hits and a walk and striking out four.
Dayton, up from the minors on Thursday, followed with two scoreless innings, including a strikeout of Ortiz in the sixth.
"I was trying not to think about it," Dayton said when asked about facing Ortiz. "Obviously, he's a legend, but I still had to do my job. I just tried to execute my pitches and trust (catcher) A.J. (Ellis)."
Kenley Jansen closed for his NL-leading 33rd save.
Adrian Gonzalez added three hits and an RBI for Los Angeles. He's batting .386 (22 for 57) since July 1 and has nine games with at least three hits this year.
Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5) gave up three runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.
The first ball hit by the Dodgers, a soft liner off the bat of Howie Kendrick, forced Ortiz to move to his right to make a lunging catch. With runners on first and third in the fifth, Ortiz made a diving catch of Josh Reddick's liner to end the inning.
"Good hands never leave you. Remember that," Ortiz said.
Ortiz left in the sixth inning and Travis Shaw shifted from third to first.
"I just didn't want to go three days without playing, but I'm OK," Ortiz said. "I got a little sore out there."
Mookie Betts had two hits for Boston.
Corey Seager set the Dodgers' rookie record with his 31st double of the season, an RBI hit that made it 2-0 in the fifth. He had been tied with Eric Karros (1992).
Ellis got his first RBI since June 27 with a two-out single in the second.
DISH DECISION
The Red Sox may put newly acquired C Bryan Holaday behind plate Sunday, manager John Farrell said. Holaday was a teammate of Sunday starter David Price in Detroit in 2014-15.
Holaday was claimed off waivers from Texas on Friday.
"There would be no hesitation for Bryan to handle David tomorrow," Farrell said. "David had a lot of history with Bryan back from Detroit. There's a comfort level there."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia, who left Friday night's game after fouling a pitch off his left ankle, was "still sore" Saturday and didn't play. Farrell said Pedroia would "hopefully" be back in the lineup Sunday. ... OF Chris Young's rehab assignment date will depend upon a baserunning workout Sunday. ... 1B Hanley Ramirez, after sitting out two games with a jammed left wrist, came through Friday's game without incident. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Saturday, and Farrell expected him back in the Red Sox lineup on Sunday.
Dodgers: Norris is on the disabled list with a back strain. No timetable has been set for the right-hander's return. ... LHP Brett Anderson (herniated disk) will make a rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, with a 75-pitch/five-inning limit. ... OF Trayce Thompson (lower back tightness) has scaled back his baseball activities. Manager Dave Roberts said the team took measures to stabilize his back and core. ... RHP Casey Fien (elbow tendinitis) will begin a rehab stint at Arizona on Monday.
NEXT UP
Red Sox: LHP David Price (9-7,4.30) enters Sunday's start with a 3.15 ERA over his last five outings. He leads the American League with seven double-digit strikeout games.
Dodgers: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-2,2.76) has seen the team lose each of his last four starts, despite him allowing six runs in 17 1/3 innings ( 3.12 ERA). Current Red Sox are batting .328 against McCarthy (64 at-bats).
