The Los Angeles Dodgers built on momentum from taking three of four against the Arizona Diamondbacks by starting the Freeway Series with a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels, led in large part by Mookie Betts.
Shohei Ohtani was playing at Angel Stadium for the first time in the regular season exactly one year after his final game for the Angels on Sept. 3, 2023. Ohtani was treated to a tribute video and received some “MVP” chants from a large number of Dodgers fans in attendance.
Ohtani got the scoring started for L.A. with a game-tying RBI triple in the third inning. Ohtani’s extra-base hit was upheld after the Angels attempted to challenge the play on the grounds that the ball got stuck under the wall in right field.
That was followed by an RBI single from Betts that put the Dodgers ahead 2-1.
The MVP returns to Anaheim.
(🎥: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/QkIo0u2ZM4— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 4, 2024
Mookie puts the #Dodgers up.
(🎥: @ChadMoriyama) pic.twitter.com/klRyS5hIuC— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 4, 2024
The Angels walked Shohei Ohtani to face Mookie Betts. It did not work out.
(🎥: @Dodgers) pic.twitter.com/SRCulmjUui— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 4, 2024
They remained in the lead until Walker Buehler surrendered a solo home run to Taylor Ward in the fifth inning. It was one of two home runs Buehler gave up in what otherwise was an encouraging start.
He completed five innings and held the Angels to just the two runs while collecting six strikeouts and only walking two batters.
Chris Taylor reached second base in the ninth inning but he was stranded as the Dodgers couldn’t find success against fireballer Ben Joyce.
Joyce threw pitches of 102, 104 and 105.5 mph during the inning. Joyce’s 105.5 mph fastball that struck out Tommy Edman was the third-fastest pitch thrown in the Statcast Era (since 2008). It’s been bested only by Aroldis Chapman, who reached 105.7 and 105.8 mph.
Mookie Betts delivers for Dodgers
In extra innings, Max Muncy advanced Edman with a productive out, and Miguel Rojas broke the tie with an RBI single. The Angels later elected to intentionally walk Ohtani with two outs, only for Betts to jump on a first-pitch slider for a three-run home run that gave the Dodgers some breathing room.
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