The Los Angeles Dodgers got back into the win column, ending a three-game losing streak, with a 10-0 victory over the New York Mets, avoiding the series sweep.
While the Dodgers’ offense has been struggling recently, that was not the case in this one, highlighted by an eight-run fifth inning.
But before getting to that point, Shohei Ohtani put the Dodgers up 2-0 with a historic home run. It was the Dodgers’ first home run since Kiké Hernández hit one against Patrick Corbin in the 5th inning of their 6-2 win against the Washington Nationals on April 16.
Andy Pages started the fifth inning with a double, and Gavin Lux followed with a walk. Mookie Betts then singed to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead, giving them some life offensively with runners in scoring position.
Shohei Ohtani followed with an infield singled that loaded the bases, and Freddie Freeman doubled to drive in two more. It was Freeman’s second double of the game, showing he may be out of his slump to begin the year.
Will Smith added a double of his own to drive in two more runs, giving the Dodgers a 7-0 lead. After a walk from Max Muncy, Pages hit the first home run of his career to cap off the eight-run inning and give the Dodgers a 10-0 lead.
It was the first time in his career that Pages has had multiple extra-base hits in a game, and they both came in the same inning.
On the mound, Tyler Glasnow was dominant once again. He pitched eight shutout innings, giving up seven hits while striking out 10 hitters with no walks.
The Dodgers moved Glasnow’s start day up to avoid having him pitch one week from his last start and give James Paxton extra rest, and the results paid off. It marked a rebound performance after he struggled while dealing with an illness his last time out, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expected a strong performance from the right-hander.
“What an ace does,” Roberts said before the game when asked what his expectations for Glasnow were. “Clearly we’re in a little funk, trying to salvage a series, so I think it does start with a starting pitcher. It really does. I believe that guy sets the tone for the day. To go out there and put up a zero in that first inning and be Tyler.
“Because I think that there’s certain starts, outings, that he’s synced up, and there’s a rhythm, and the execution is really good and dominant. And other times, he’s sort of searching. So obviously a big-bodied guy, and I’m expecting him to be synced up and give us some length that we need and win a ballgame.”
Glasnow pitching eight innings is the deepest a Dodgers’ starter has gone into a game since Clayton Kershaw in July 2022. It also tied a career-high for the ace.
Shohei Ohtani sets record with Dodgers
Ohtani’s home run was the 176th of his career, surpassing Hideki Matsui for the most ever by a Japanese-born player in MLB history. It came in the third inning against starting pitcher Adrian Houser.
Ohtani has long called Matsui an idol of his, and he was aware he was approaching the number to tie and take the lead.
“It’s just an honor to be able to be associated with somebody like that,” Ohtani said after tying Matsui’s record.
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