Dodgers get Back to Back wins
“There’s only a few guys that can hit a ball like that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was a topspin liner that reached the second deck. There’s not too many guys that can do that. Shohei, we’ve talked about controlling the strike zone. When he does that, it is hard to get him out. It’s lightning in that bat. Any time he swings the bat and makes contact, he can change the game.”
Earl Heath
Contributing Sports Writer
Shohei Ohtani went “UPTOWN” with a 450- foot blast that capped off a 4-1 Dodger win over Washington. It was his 6th homer of the season
It was also the hardest-hit home run (118 MPH) for a Dodgers player in the Statcast era, which began in 2015. The solo shot in the ninth inning off Matt Barnes made it 4-1 after pinch-hitter James Outman and Miguel Rojas drove in runs an inning earlier to put Los Angeles ahead.
“There’s only a few guys that can hit a ball like that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was a topspin liner that reached the second deck. There’s not too many guys that can do that. Shohei, we’ve talked about controlling the strike zone. When he does that, it is hard to get him out. It’s lightning in that bat. Any time he swings the bat and makes contact, he can change the game.”
Ohtani leads the major leagues with a .364 B.A., extended his hitting streak to eight games and has 177 career homers. His previous longball two days earlier gave him the record for homers by a Japanese-born player.Outman, who had been struggling at the plate batted for Kiké Hernández, drilled a splitter from Harvey Hunter.
Dodgers starter James Paxton needed 89 pitches to get through 4 2/3 innings, scattering five hits and allowing one run.
“I thought tonight the command was better,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I still think we are missing a gear with the swing and miss. At times the fastball was good. But there is more swing and miss in there. I love the compete. I love that he was attacking the strike zone. I would’ve loved for him to go a little bit longer.”
Reliever Michael Grove, Alex Vesia(1-2), Daniel Hudson and Evan Phillips held Washington scoreless the rest of the way. Phillips worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his sixth savBefore heading to DC Tyler Glasnow was just what the DODGERS needed to help turn the tide for an LA. team that was having a horrible nine game homestand, losing all three series.
In the final game of the homestand against the New York Mets the 6-8 225, tossed eight shut-out innings giving up seven hits while striking out 10 with no walks in a 10-0 win.
The win help snapped the Mets’ six-game winning streak and salvaged the finale of a disappointing 3-6 homestand. The Santa Clarita native ran his record to 4-1 while having a 3.72 era.
Shohei Ohtani’s hit a two-run home homer the 176th of his career, which allowed him to past Hideki Matsu for the most homer by a Japanese born player.
Newcomer Andy Pages hit a three-run shot for his first career homer during the Dodgers’ eight-run fifth inning, Freedy Freeman and Will Smith also delivered two-run doubles and Mookie Betts had an RBI single in the fifth.
“It’s the first complete baseball game I can recall (by the Dodgers this season),” said Skipper Dave Roberts said. “We were clean defensively. I thought the at-bats were really good, especially the guys at the bottom of the order. … And then obviously what Tyler did. Just overall, it was fun to just watch a clean baseball game.”
After winning 12 of 15 since their 0-5 start to the season, the Mets were shut out for the second time this year. New York had won eight of its previous nine.
Houser couldn’t control the Dodgers’ potent lineup, giving up seven runs on eight hits and four walks in his fourth start for his new team.
Los Angeles chased Houser with six straight batters reaching base in the fifth. After Betts drove in Pages, Ohtani singled off Houser’s leg before Freeman and Smith delivered back-to-back doubles.
In his second at-bat of the inning, Pages put the Dodgers up 10-0 with a long drive to center off Grant Hartwig for his first homer in the 23-year-old Cuban outfielder’s fifth major league game.
Glasnow then delivered the shutdown start needed by the Dodgers after they gave up 15 runs to the Mets in the previous two games. Working quickly and efficiently, the veteran right-hander became the first Dodgers starter to pitch into the eighth inning since Clayton Kershaw did it July 15, 2022.
Glasnow didn’t give up an extra-base hit and allowed just one Mets runner to reach second base before the eighth.
New York loaded the bases with three singles in the eighth, but Glasnow struck out pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor to end the inning as the crowd of 49,287. gave him a standing ovation.
ADD DODGERS: Shohei Ohtani’s historic blast was caught by a fan in the right field pavilion. Most milestone balls are given back to the player in exchange for a meet-and-greet and/or autographed memorabilia, the fan opted to keep it, according to Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic. “Honestly, I’m relieved and happy,” Ohtani said after the game through interpreter Will Ireton. “I took a while to get to this point since my last homer. So just honestly happy and relieved.”
Glasnoe leads the league (at press time) with 34 strikeouts.
