Shohei Ohtani's leadoff homer, Teoscar's 3-run shot propel streaking Dodgers to 6-3 win over Rangers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer and Teoscar Hernández followed with a three-run shot in the first inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers ’ seventh victory in eight games, 6-3 over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

Emmet Sheehan (2-0) pitched six innings of four-hit ball with six strikeouts for the defending World Series champion Dodgers, whose 11-3 start is the best in the majors. Will Smith reached base four times and scored two runs.

Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff homer, another two-run shot and a double for the Rangers, who have lost six of nine with their back-to-back defeats at Dodger Stadium. The rest of Texas' lineup managed just one hit, a sixth-inning single by Josh Jung.

Sheehan excelled against almost every Texas hitter except Nimmo, who hammered his second pitch 405 feet to dead center for the 15th leadoff homer of the longtime Mets slugger's career.

Ohtani answered moments later with a blast to right for his first homer at Chavez Ravine this season while also extending his on-base streak to 45 games. The four-time MVP has four home runs in eight games after starting the season in a six-game homer drought.

Five batters later, Hernández brought home Smith and Freddie Freeman with a big shot to left, his third of the season.

Jack Leiter (1-1) yielded five runs on five hits and four walks while failing to get out of the fourth inning for Texas.

Nimmo's two-run shot in the sixth trimmed LA's lead to 5-3 and secured his first multi-homer game for his new team.

Hernández doubled and scored on Andy Pages' single in the eighth.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn't give the ninth inning to new closer Edwin Diaz, who blew a three-run lead in Friday's victory. Blake Treinen allowed two baserunners and got two outs before Alex Vesia struck out Danny Jansen to secure his first save.

RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 3.72 ERA) starts the series finale for Texas on Sunday against RHP Roki Sasaki (0-1, 7.00).

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

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, left, celebrates his three-run home run with Alex Freeland during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo watches his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates his solo home run with the bench during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Los Angeles, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ramón Laureano hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fourth inning and Manny Machado had a two-run shot for the San Diego Padres, who rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-5 on Saturday for their fourth straight win.

Mickey Moniak homered twice and Edouard Julien also connected off former Colorado starter Germán Márquez (2-1), who was facing his old team for the first time. He signed with the Padres as a free agent on Feb. 16 after spending 10 seasons with the Rockies.

Márquez allowed four runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Moniak, who went to La Costa Canyon High in suburban Carlsbad, had three hits and four RBIs.

Jason Adam got the final out for his first save since 2024 with Tampa Bay. Bradgley Rodriguez loaded the bases before Adam retired Ezequiel Tovar on a popup.

The Padres have hit six homers in winning the first three games of the four-game series, including walk-offs in the first two games.

The Padres would have had three long balls Saturday night if not for left fielder Jordan Beck's spectacular running, leaping catch to rob Nick Castellanos of a three-run homer to end the first. Beck got his glove over the wall to make the grab, spun around and ran off the field smiling.

Machado's two-run shot to left with two outs in the third off Ryan Feltner (1-1) pulled the Padres to 4-3. It was his second. Laureano's go-ahead shot, also to left, came with one out in the fourth and was his third.

Moniak hit a two-run homer with one out in the first and a solo shot with two outs in the third for a 4-0 lead. He has five. Julien hit a solo homer with one out in the inning, his first.

Jackson Merrill drove in three runs for San Diego. Fernando Tatis Jr., who started at second base for the first time in his big league career, had three hits and a bases-loaded walk.

Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-1, 2.30 ERA) and Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (1-2, 5.54) are scheduled to start Sunday in the series finale.

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

Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak (22) hits a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Saturday, April 11, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Colorado Rockies' Mickey Moniak, right, is congratulated by manager Warren Schaeffer after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Saturday, April 11, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Padres second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) throws out Colorado Rockies' Troy Johnston (20) at first base during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 11, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado (13) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, April 11, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Padres' Ramón Laureano (5) looks skyward after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Saturday, April 11, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)