The Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak by bouncing back to defeat the Minnesota Twins, 5-2, led by Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith.
It’s no surprise the Dodgers relied on Smith and Ohtani, who have been the only ones consistently contributing through this rough patch over their last 13 games. The two combined for three home runs in the game, and Ohtani also made an impact with his arm.
Ohtani started the game, making his sixth appearance on the mound for the Dodgers since he resumed pitching. Ohtani’s second pitch of the game was hit by Byron Buxton for a leadoff home run, which marked the first homer Ohtani surrendered this year.
But after that, he kept the Twins off the board for the rest of his outing, despite dealing with some traffic. The right-hander pitched three innings while allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
In addition to his pitching, Ohtani blasted a two-run homer in the first inning, which immediately gave the Dodgers the lead in the bottom of the first inning, making up for the homer he allowed to Buxton.
The Dodgers never looked back from there and continued to add on. Smith blasted his first homer in the fourth inning to make it a 3-1 game, and he slugged another solo homer in the sixth inning.
In the seventh, Andy Pages also blasted a solo homer that gave the Dodgers a four-run lead.
Dustin May shines in bullpen role
Dustin May followed Ohtani on the mound as expected, and he turned in a brilliant outing.
May gave the Dodgers 4.2 scoreless innings while allowing five hits, exiting the game after allowing consecutive hits and leaving with runners on the corners. He did struggle with his command a bit as he walked three hitters, but he also added four strikeouts.
Tanner Scott entered after May and got the Dodgers out of the jam, with some help from Tommy Edman, who made a leaping catch at third base.
Scott remained in the game for the ninth inning as well, but after a walk and hit by pitch, he exited the game with an apparent injury. The Dodgers did not announce the specifics of it.
Kirby Yates entered and walked the first batter due to Scott exiting with a 3-2 count. He then got the second out on a sacrifice fly and allowed a long fly out against Carlos Correa that nearly tied the game, but James Outman robbed the would-be game-tying homer.
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