LOS ANGELES — 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 as 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 change-up after a 2-2 change-up … 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 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) of Boston gave up three runs and eight hits over 41/3 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 and Travis Shaw shifted from third to first.
NOTES: The Red Sox may put newly acquired catcher Bryan Holaday behind the plate Sunday, Manager John Farrell said. Holaday was a teammate of David Price, who will start Sunday, in Detroit in 2014-15. Holaday was claimed off waivers from Texas on Friday. “There would be no hesitation for Bryan to handle David (Sunday),” Farrell said. “David had a lot of history with Bryan back from Detroit. There’s a comfort level there.” … Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who left Friday night’s game after fouling a pitch off his left ankle, was “still sore” and didn’t play. Farrell said Pedroia would “hopefully” be back in the lineup Sunday. … Outfielder Chris Young’s rehab assignment date will depend on a baserunning workout Sunday. … First baseman 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 lineup Sunday.
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