MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his National League-leading 37th home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers finished with four homers in a 7-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night that extended their winning streak to five games.
Gavin Lux and Andy Pages each hit a two-run home run during a five-run fourth inning that gave the Dodgers a 7-1 lead.
Will Smith also homered as the NL West-leading Dodgers improved to 71-49 and matched the Cleveland Guardians for the best record in the majors.
“We’re just playing good baseball,” Smith said. “Offense is putting together good at-bats, good team at-bats, driving guys in, moving guys over. Pitchers are filling up the zone, attacking guys, getting ahead. Right now, we’re playing good baseball.”
The Dodgers’ Gavin Stone (10-5) allowed one run on three hits in five innings, striking out six with no walks in an 86-pitch outing.
“It makes it easier to stay on the inside, and that’s really all it was,” Stone said of pitching with the early lead. “They gave me that early run support and it was easier to just trust pitches in the zone.”
Teoscar Hernandez singled to open the fourth and Lux followed with his seventh homer. Smith singled, advanced to third on Migel Rojas’ double, and scored on Kiké Hernádez’s sacrifice fly. Pages hit the first pitch of his at-bat for his ninth homer.
Colin Rea (10-4) was tagged for seven runs and 10 hits in six innings, including all four homers. He lost for the second time in 14 outings, including 11 starts.
“He wasn’t his best, that’s for sure,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He’s been throwing the ball so great. He had that one rough inning, but in typical Colin fashion, he sucked it up and pitched six innings for us. Other than that one inning, he threw the ball well.”
Smith staked the Dodgers to a 1-0 lead with two outs in the second, sending a 3-2 pitch 412 feet to left for his 16th homer.
Ohtani made it 2-0 in the third with a two-out solo shot to right-center.
William Contreras answered in the bottom half, capping a 10-pitch at-bat with his 15th homer, cutting Milwaukee’s deficit to 2-1.
The Brewers got a run in the seventh inning on three singles off Landon Knack, who pitched the final four innings and earned his first career save.
“We’ve gotten good starts,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “When you get good starting pitching, it does take pressure off the offense. We’ve had some timely hits. I talked about this last series, I didn’t think we were good situationally. This series, so far, we’ve been good.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP River Ryan, who left his start against San Diego on Saturday, will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and is done for the season. … IF Max Muncy (right oblique strain) and OF Tommy Edman (right wrist surgery, sprained ankle) were scheduled to play seven innings Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City on rehab assignments, manager Dave Roberts said. … RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (60-day IL, right triceps tightness) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Tuesday and is expected to pitch a two-inning simulated game Friday.
UP NEXT
Right-hander Frankie Montas (5-8, 5.10) starts for Milwaukee, while right-hander Walker Buehler (1-4, 5.84) is scheduled to be activated of the IL and make his first big league start since June 18.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Milwaukee Brewers' Colin Rea pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Enrique Hernández jumps after fielding a ground ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. Ortiz was safe on the play. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, dropping the Braves out of a playoff position.
Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of run-scoring grounders that increased his RBIs total to 108. He did not hit a home run or steal a base during the series, remaining at 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings, throwing 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury — up from 59 on Sept. 10.
“We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and built him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club. These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go.”
The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and pitched their 13th shutout.
NL West-leading Los Angeles (89-61) began the night 3 1/2 games behind second place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: The other was on June 4, 2021, also at Atlanta.
After losing the first two games of the series by a combined 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 over the last two.
“When you start off a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and drop the first two, to come back and respond, I thought that was big by the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve played a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve been a part of.”
Atlanta (81-69) dropped one game behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the NL's third wild card spot. The Braves were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 10 against Yamamoto.
Los Angeles took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.
“He really exemplifies what I expect in a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “Tonight, he won a ballgame for us.”
Max Fried (9-10) gave up three runs and two hits in six innings
Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first after Rojas walked, advanced on a grounder and stole third. Rojas' run-scoring single and Ohtani's RBI grounder boosted the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.
Freeman capped a six-run seventh with his 22nd homer after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández drove in runs.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL with a left big toe fracture. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.
Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second base for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If that goes well, he could rejoin the Braves in Miami on Friday.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series in Miami on Tuesday night against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06), starting a stretch of six games against last-place teams.
Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) to start a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches a pitch go by called strike in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, tags second base before Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia, right, can get the ball in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani checks the scoreboard from the dugout in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the scoreboard before his turn at bat in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman swings in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
