Dodgers’ Carlos Frias rebounds by listening to Yasmani Grandal

Asked about how he followed up his worst start of the season with the best of his career, Carlos Frias immediately pointed to catcher Yasmani Grandal.

“I trust him 100%,” Frias said. “I threw everything he wanted.”

Grandal was activated from the seven-day concussion list Saturday and was behind the plate as Frias limited the St. Louis Cardinals to an unearned run over seven innings in a 5-1 victory for the Dodgers.

Frias (4-2) was charged with five hits and two walks. Relying on his sinker, he forced the Cardinals to ground into three double plays.

In his previous start, Frias was rocked by the San Diego Padres for 10 runs and 12 hits in four innings.

Grandal’s plan called for Frias to simplify his approach.

“I didn’t let him throw that many offspeeds in the first few innings,” Grandal said. “It was mainly fastballs. I think that’s one of the things he didn’t do last outing. He wanted to use all four pitches from the beginning, for some reason. I don’t think he really needs that. I think he can go with one or two pitches for the first three, four innings then go ahead and start mixing those other two in.”

Grandal also wanted Frias to attack the inside part of the plate.

“The one thing I didn’t do enough last year with San Diego was pitch them in,” Grandal said. “I think Carlos has the ability to do that and that’s what we did. We established the inner half and went away when we needed to.”

Frias did as he was instructed.

“It’s about trust, you know?” Frias said. “He knows what he’s doing behind the plate.”

Frias was also open to advice from first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who said he should consider bunting in his seventh-inning at-bat.

The plan worked, as Frias was credited with the first hit of his career.

“I trust everybody, you know?” he said.