The Los Angeles Dodgers split the first two games of the series with the Arizona Diamondbacks despite some poor pitching performances.
Things turned around in the third game as the Dodgers’ pitching combined to shut out the Diamondbacks for their seventh shutout win of the season.
They now have a chance to win the series on Thursday while the D-Backs go for the split.
Dodgers 7, Diamondbacks 0: key takeaways
Shohei Ohtani does it all
Shohei Ohtani was back to performing his two-way duties as the designated hitter and starting pitcher. He reached base five times and went 3-for-4 at the plate. Ohtani also added six shutout innings on the mound with six strikeouts to one walk.
Ohtani scored a run after drawing a walk in the third inning, advancing to third on a double from Andy Pages and crossing the plate on a single from Freddie Freeman that put the Dodgers up 4-0.
On the mound, he started his outing with 3.2 no-hit innings before allowing a two-out double. That snapped a streak of recording 32 outs without allowing a hit for Ohtani.
The streak began on May 20 against the San Diego Padres, and he added six more no-hit innings on May 27 against the Colorado Rockies.
After allowing the two-out double to Gabriel Moreno, Ohtani retired Nolan Arenado to end the frame. After a perfect fifth inning, he allowed a single and walk in the sixth inning before getting Corbin Carroll to ground into a double play.
That ended Ohtani’s night as he lowered his ERA to 0.74 this season. His ERA is now the third-lowest in MLB history through 10 starts.
Jonathan Hernández and Jack Dreyer pitched the final three innings.
Kyle Tucker heats up & Dodgers offense follows
Kyle Tucker has been in a slump for most of the year, but seemed to break out of it with a 3-for-5 day. He started the Dodgers off by slugging a two-run homer, his first long ball since May 4, that put the Dodgers ahead 2-0.
After Freeman doubled their lead with his single, Tucker singled to move him into scoring position. Freeman then scored on a single from Max Muncy to put the Dodgers up 5-0.
The Dodgers rallied for some insurance in the seventh inning, started by a two-out double from Muncy. Will Smith walked and Alex Call was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Alex Freeland singled in two more runs.
Freeland finished his day going 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a stolen base.
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