Rushing hit a home run and drove in three runs, taking on the daily starting catcher role while Smith is sidelined.

Dalton Rushing might not boast the same decorated history as Will Smith, yet with the three-time All-Star catcher missing more than a month because of neck inflammation, the young catcher has done all he can to help the Dodgers cover that huge gap.

In taking over the starting catcher role, Rushing inevitably experienced growing pains and had his own slumps. But tonight, he had a breakout performance, hitting a home run and driving in three runs to help the Dodgers beat the Phillies 9-5, taking two of three in the series at Citizens Bank Park.

This was Rushing's fifth game this season with at least three RBIs, second only to Andy Pages on the Dodgers, who has nine such games.

In his second MLB season, Rushing may have drawn more attention for his emotional on-field personality than his actual performance. But amid the ups and downs, he has grown into a key cog in the lineup—one whose production, while inconsistent at times, remains substantial. This is critical for the Dodgers, as Smith won't return from the injured list until at least mid-August.

“If I can stabilize the pitching staff, if I can give the team a chance to win every night, that's basically all they ask of me,” Rushing said. “Obviously, we've been winning and playing quality baseball. So yeah, that's the primary goal. Anything I do with the bat is just a bonus.”

The Dodgers didn't get their first hit off Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola until the third inning, and it was Rushing who hit a two-out home run to cut the deficit to 1-2. It was Rushing's 11th homer of the season, a 438-foot blast to left-center field with an exit velocity of 107.7 mph, per Statcast.

In his next at-bat, Rushing helped the Dodgers take the lead. He hit a ground-rule double to the right-field corner in the top of the fifth, driving in two runs to make it 3-2. The Phillies tied it in the bottom half when Bryan De La Cruz hit a solo home run off starter Eric Lauer. But the Dodgers regained the lead in the sixth on Max Muncy's two-run homer. It was Muncy's 229th home run as a Dodger, moving him past Ron Cey for fifth on the franchise's all-time list.

From there, the game was all Dodgers. In the eighth, they scored four more runs, capped by Tommy Edman's bases-clearing triple. Although Rushing didn't get a hit in his final two at-bats, he had already been the key figure in the victory.

“This is what I've been doing for years,” Rushing said. “Last year I didn't adjust well to the backup role, and I'm not saying I wanted this opportunity. But I just made sure that if it was given to me, I would give everything to prove I can play, prove I'll stay in this league as long as possible.”

Since Smith's injury, Rushing has firmly seized the starting catcher opportunity. Despite notable hot and cold streaks, his overall performance has been solid. As of today, his wRC+ stands at 118, ranking seventh among catchers with at least 200 plate appearances. Smith's wRC+ before the injury was 102, slightly above average but below his career norm.

“The most striking thing is that he's learning and growing in real games, under the pressure of being thrust into the role,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But I do think some of the struggles over the past few weeks have been good for him, whether it's his hitting, receiving behind the plate, or sticking to the game plan—they'll help him in the long run.”

Before today, Rushing had gone nine consecutive games without a hit. In the nine games prior to that, he had 12 hits in 29 at-bats, a .414 batting average. Finding consistency amid the inherent highs and lows of baseball is one area the Dodgers want the young catcher to continue developing.

“He just needs to keep controlling his emotions, taking it one at-bat at a time, and maintaining that mindset,” Roberts said. “Then watching him play becomes a lot of fun. Of course, with Will out, we need him now. We need him to be the player he thinks he can be and we expect him to be, and that starts with the mindset.”