June 1 (UPI) -- Shortstop Gavin Lux homered twice and reigning Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer allowed three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a series-opening win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Dodgers left fielder Chris Taylor went 3 for 4 with four RBIs in the 9-4 victory Monday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Bauer allowed five hits and four runs with five strikeouts to improve to 6-3 this season.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Dodgers, who sit in third place in the National League West.
"I thought Trevor really had a good outing," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "Offensively, we did a nice job. We had a great approach against [Cardinals ace] Jack Flaherty."
Lux broke the game open in the Dodgers' second at-bat of the second inning. The Dodgers infielder took a Flaherty curveball for a ball on the first offering of his exchange. He then smacked a Flaherty fastball to right field for a 378-foot solo homer.
Taylor followed with a 399-foot solo blast to left field in the next at-bat.
The Cardinals responded with three runs in the sixth inning. Justin Williams smacked a 416-foot solo shot to right field to lead off the inning. Dylan Carlson gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead with a 392-foot, two-run shot off Bauer three at-bats later.
The Dodgers took back the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Hesley replaced Flaherty on the mound to start the frame. He forced Mookie Betts to ground out in his first exchange, but then got into trouble.
Hesley allowed a Max Muncy double and a Justin Turner single in the next two at-bats. He then walked Cody Bellinger to load the bases for Will Smith.
Hesley walked the Dodgers catcher with the bases loaded to tie the score at 3-3. He struck out Lux, but then allowed a two-run double from Taylor.
Left fielder Tyler O'Neill hit his 12th home run of the season in the top of the next inning, but the Cardinals did not score another run after that.
Lux pounced on a Daniel Ponce de Leon fastball for a 421-foot blast in the bottom of the eighth frame. Matt Beaty and Betts added to the lead with an RBI single and double, respectively, in the same inning.
Betts went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a walk in the win. Williams went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Cardinals.
Flaherty allowed just two hits and two runs and tossed nine strikeouts in five innings, but did not receive a decision in the loss.
"I think I threw the ball really well, for being pretty sick coming in," Bauer told reporters. "I commanded the ball really well.
"It's just frustrating that 40 percent of the hits I give up are home runs. ... My luck on home runs is terrible right now."
The Dodgers (32-22) host the Cardinals (30-24) in the second game of the three-game series at 10:10 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.