OGNSC Staff | Los Angeles News Observer
The Los Angeles Dodgers had a week to forget at Chavez Ravine — and a week to remember on the road. After getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium, the defending champions bounced back in Minnesota, winning the first two games of a three-game series to move to 51-29, the best record in the National League West.
The week started with promise. The Dodgers had just finished a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays June 15-17, riding a clutch pinch-hit homer from Miguel Rojas on Monday night, a dominant 1-0 shutout win behind Shohei Ohtani’s 15th home run and Justin Wrobleski on Tuesday, and a come-from-behind 5-4 win Wednesday on Freddie Freeman’s go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth. The Dodgers headed into the Baltimore series feeling good.
The Orioles had other plans. Baltimore opened the three-game set Friday, June 19, with the Dodgers rallying late for a 6-5 walk-off when a Dalton Rushing single tied the game and a throwing error by outfielder Tyler O’Neill scored the winning run in the ninth. But Saturday and Sunday belonged to the visitors.
On Saturday, June 20, Trevor Rogers was masterful, holding the Dodgers to one hit over seven scoreless innings in a 3-2 Baltimore win. Rogers walked just two and struck out six. Yoshinobu Yamamoto took the loss, giving up three earned runs in six innings. Ohtani homered in the ninth — his 16th of the season — but it wasn’t enough.
Sunday’s series finale was a rout. Baltimore exploded for 12 runs in a 12-1 drubbing that left Dodger Stadium unusually quiet. Pete Alonso launched a three-run homer, Colton Cowser tied his career high with four RBIs, and starter Emmet Sheehan was knocked around for six earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings. It marked the first time the Dodgers had dropped consecutive games since May 11-12.
But the Dodgers are built to bounce back, and they did exactly that heading into Minnesota. On Monday, June 22, Ohtani led off the game by parking the second pitch he saw deep into the right-field plaza for his 17th home run of the season. Eric Lauer threw six hitless innings after opener Will Klein allowed a Byron Buxton home run in the first, and Freeman added a sixth-inning solo shot to seal a 2-1 win. The game wasn’t without concern — outfielder Kyle Tucker left with lower back spasms, and catcher Dalton Rushing was pulled for a concussion evaluation.
Tuesday’s contest turned into a Dodger showcase. Behind seven strong innings from Wrobleski — who improved to 9-2 on the season — Los Angeles pounded out a season-high-tying 17 hits in a 12-3 blowout. Freeman and Andy Pages each collected three hits, and Mookie Betts, Alex Freeland, Alex Call and Chuckie Robinson all went multi-hit. A sacrifice fly from Ohtani and two-run singles by Freeman and Betts in the fourth put the game out of reach early.
The Dodgers close out the Minnesota series Wednesday with Ohtani — pitching this time, with a 7-2 record and a sparkling 1.47 ERA on the mound — facing Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Tucker is expected to remain day-to-day, with the club hopeful he returns this weekend.
At 51-29 and rolling, LA remains the team to beat in the National League. Wrobleski’s emergence as one of the game’s elite left-handers, Ohtani’s consistent two-way brilliance, and a lineup deep enough to absorb injuries have the Dodgers in championship form heading toward the All-Star break.