ANAHEIM, Calif. - When a high-bouncing grounder by the Dodgers' Scott Van Slyke glanced off reliever Trevor Gott's glove and trickled into left field for a two-run double, the Angels could tell this probably wasn't their night.

The Angels can't afford to have too many more rough evenings if they hope to stay in the playoff race deep into September.

Scott Van Slyke had four hits and drove in four runs, and Zack Greinke pitched six innings of seven-hit ball before the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen hung on for a marathon 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

C.J. Cron and Kole Calhoun homered off Greinke for the Angels, who had won four of five while attempting to keep pace with Houston and Texas in the AL West.

But after a game featuring 12 runs, 14 relievers, 23 runners left on base, 27 hits and nearly four hours of baseball, the Dodgers finally hung on when Kenley Jansen struck out Mike Trout and Albert Pujols on the way to his 30th save.

Van Slyke got two hits and drove in three runs on infield grounders that weren't played sharply by the Angels. Even in a game with so many variable, the Angels realized their key mistakes.

"You have to play the game at a high level so that if you get a bad break, you're still going to be able to absorb it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think we just set the table a little bit too much, and they had baserunners all night."

Pujols had three hits for the Angels, who had won four of five. Trout went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.

Pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano had a two-run double as the Dodgers opened the Freeway Series with their seventh straight victory over their Orange County rivals. The Dodgers have won 12 of 14 overall to take a commanding 8 1/2-game lead over slumping San Francisco in the NL West.

"That was definitely a September game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

And with their ever-expanding NL West lead, the Dodgers can nearly look ahead to October — but the Angels can't look beyond Tuesday.

Although Greinke (16-3) saw his majors-best ERA rise to 1.68, the right-hander still earned his 11th win in 13 starts. After he left, things went a bit haywire: The Dodgers used four relievers in the seventh alone while yielding two runs.

Ruggiano drove in two runs on the first pitch after Jose Alvarez replaced Angels starter Nick Tropeano in the fifth. Tropeano yielded eight hits and three runs in a spot start for Matt Shoemaker, who has forearm tightness.

"It just makes every pitch that much more important," Tropeano said of facing Greinke. "When you're going up against a great pitcher like that, every pitch counts, so you've got to execute early and get people out."

BIG BOUNCE

Van Slyke had the most prolific offensive game of his career, thanks to great bounces. On his RBI single in the eighth, three fielders couldn't make a play on his high chopper off the plate.

"For sure, that's the first time a two-RBI double bounced off a pitcher's glove, but that's baseball," Angels second baseman Taylor Featherston said. "The average person doesn't understand what it's like to have a ball coming at you and not try to catch it and let your shortstop take it. Maybe he'll learn from that situation next time and bring the arm down."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: C Yasmani Grandal was scratched with a sore left shoulder. He will have an MRI while sitting out for a few games. ... SS Jimmy Rollins sat out with a jammed finger on his right hand. X-rays were negative, Mattingly said.

Angels: Pujols had an MRI on his sore right foot, but played anyway. ... Shoemaker's arm feels better, but he isn't certain when he'll return to the rotation.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (12-6, 2.18 ERA) completes the 1-2 punch. The reigning NL MVP has a 0.90 ERA and seven wins in his last 10 starts.

Angels: Rookie LHP Andrew Heaney (6-2, 3.18 ERA) makes his 14th start of an impressive season.