Fresh off a blowout win and season-high 19 runs, the Los Angeles Dodgers struggled to score this game as they began the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 6-2 loss at Dodger Stadium.
Jack Kochanowicz gave the Dodgers issues all game as he tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball to start the game. Despite allowing five hits and four walks, he forced the Dodgers to hit into four double plays and added five strikeouts.
The only run the Dodgers were able to score came in the fourth inning when Will Smith singled and scored after Max Muncy doubled, but the Dodgers were already trailing by four at that point in the game.
Dustin May was on the mound for the Dodgers, and he put them behind early in the game. After a one-out walk to Nolan Schanuel in the first, Yoan Moncada blasted a two-run homer.
The Angels added on more in the fourth inning when Luis Rengifo singled followed by both Matthew Lugo and Tim Anderson being hit by pitches to load the bases. Zach Neto then drove in two runs with a double.
May ended up pitching five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. The eight strikeouts were a positive to see as May has had trouble getting swing and miss throughout his career, but it was overshadowed by his other issues in the game.
Once Kochanowicz was out of the game, Shohei Ohtani homered against Ryan Zeferjahn to cut the lead to just two runs. Mookie Betts followed with a single, but Freddie Freeman hit into the Dodgers’ fifth double play of the game to end the threat.
The five double plays tied a Dodgers franchise record, which last happened on Aug. 27, 2015. They’ve done it 10 times overall in team history.
In the ninth, the Angels added on against Ryan Loutos, who was making his Dodgers debut after being recalled prior to the game.
Lugo greeted Loutos with a single, Neto doubled and Schanuel drove home both of them with a single to give the Angels six runs for the night.
Kenley Jansen, who spent 12 years with the Dodgers, pitched the ninth for the Angels.
Hyeseong Kim continues hot streak for Dodgers
Hyeseong Kim has been a bright spot for the Dodgers since being recalled, and after singling twice in his first two at-bats, he became the first Dodgers rookie to reach base in nine consecutive plate appearances since Corey Seager in 2015.
Kim is now hitting .467/.500/.600 with one home run, five RBI, nine runs scored, three stolen bases in his 30 at-bats to begin his career.
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