Dodgers extend winning streak to 6 as Tyler Glasnow gets first career victory against Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) — Tyler Glasnow pitched six solid innings for his first victory in 10 career starts against Toronto, Mookie Betts had three hits and an RBI, and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to a season-best six games with a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays on Saturday.

Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Chris Taylor each drove in a run as the Dodgers won their second straight series after losing their previous three.

Betts tripled and scored in the first inning, singled home a run in the fourth and singled in the ninth. He has 11 multi-hit games this season, including six three-hit games.

Glasnow (5-1) allowed one run and two hits, walked three and struck out nine.

“Everything was working tonight,” Glasnow said.

Glasnow leads the major leagues in strikeouts (53) and innings pitched (43). Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the 30-year-old right-hander was “fantastic” against the Blue Jays.

“When you acquire a guy like Tyler, you look at him as a front-end guy who can get the swing and miss, can go deep in games and win baseball games when he pitches,” Roberts said. “He’s done everything and more.”

Toronto has lost a season-high five straight.

Glasnow came in 0-4 with a 6.86 ERA in nine starts against Toronto, all with Tampa Bay. He left because of cramping in his right calf after Davis Schneider’s RBI double in the seventh inning. Joe Kelly came on and retired the next three batters.

Ryan Brasier worked the eighth and Evan Phillips pitched around Cavan Biggio’s RBI single in the ninth for his eighth save.

Ohtani’s RBI single off left-hander Yusei Kikuchi in the second came off his bat at 119.2 mph, making it the hardest-hit ball of his career and the hardest-hit ball in the major leagues this season.

“It’s incredibly amazing,” Roberts said.

Kikuchi, who went to the same high school as Ohtani, said it’s a challenge pitching to the two-time unanimous MVP.

“It was tough facing him especially because there was a runner on every time,” Kikuchi said through a translator. “He’s getting better and better every year.”

As in Friday’s 12-2 Los Angeles win, some in the crowd of 39,405 booed when Ohtani came to bat. However, a group of fans behind first base started a ‘Let’s go, Dodgers!’ chant during Betts’ leadoff at bat in the first and resumed it multiple times during the game.

Betts said he wasn’t aware of the pro-Dodgers chants in Toronto.

“Once I heard the boos, I just kind of turned my ears off,” Betts said.

Ohtani finished 1 for 5. He lost his helmet striking out swinging at an 82 mph curveball from Kikuchi in the fourth.

Kikuchi (2-2) allowed season-highs of four runs and nine hits in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Los Angeles selected the contract of RHP Nabil Crismatt from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and optioned LHP Nick Ramirez to Triple-A. RHP Kyle Hurt (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day IL.

UP NEXT

The Dodgers have not named a starter for Sunday’s series finale. RHP Kevin Gausman (0-3, 5.57 ERA) is scheduled for the Blue Jays.

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow works against the Toronto Blue Jays during second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani looks over at Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi as he stands on first base after hitting an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts steals second base in front of Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani looks over at Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi as he stands on first base after hitting an RBI single during the second inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi strikes out Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi works against Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani stands on second base during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi walks off the mound at the end of the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Blue Jays in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi reacts during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws the during first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (25) miss plays a hit by Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Betts was safe at third for a triple. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) throws during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Chicago Cubs drew six bases-loaded walks in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, the most by a major league team in a single inning in 65 years.

The last team to draw that many free passes with runners at every base in one inning was the Chicago White Sox, who had eight in the seventh inning on April 22, 1959, according to Major League Baseball.

The inning began with prized Pirates rookie Paul Skenes giving up two hits, ending his big league debut. The Cubs ended up needing three more pitchers to get through the frame.

Kyle Nicolas came on, struck out two batters and hit Ian Happ with a pitch. Then it got much worse.

Nicolas threw 12 straight pitches outside the strike zone to Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch and Miles Mastrobuoni to bring in three runs.

Then Josh Fleming came in and walked Yan Gomes on five pitches before giving up an infield single to Mike Tauchman.

Fleming was pulled for Colin Holderman, who walked Seiya Suzuki on four pitches and Cody Bellinger on five to give Chicago, which trailed 6-1 entering the frame, an 8-6 lead. Holderman retired pinch-hitter Nick Madrigal on a liner to end the inning.

The Pirates threw 55 pitches in the inning — 20 for strikes. They retook the lead with three runs in the bottom half and held on to win 10-9.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas gets the ball back from catcher Yasmani Grandal after walking Chicago Cubs' Miles Mastrobuoni, forcing in a run, during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)