Ohtani reaches 30 HRs for 6th straight season as Dodgers beat Rockies 7-6

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run shot to reach 30 homers for the sixth straight season and Freddie Freeman had two hits and two RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 on Tuesday night.

Teoscar Hernandez had a triple and double, and Tommy Edman doubled twice as the Dodgers broke out of an offensive slump in Denver.

Los Angeles scored 10 runs in the four-game series against Milwaukee over the weekend. Against Colorado, the Dodgers have scored 18 runs on 24 hits with four homers, including three by Ohtani, in the first two games of the three-game set.

Ohtani’s 30th homer traveled 448 feet into the Los Angeles bullpen off Ryan Feltner (5-7) and gave the Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the third inning. The Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning before Los Angeles went ahead again in the fourth.

Edman, Kyle Tucker and Hernandez doubled in the inning to make it 5-3, and Hernandez scored on Freeman’s sacrifice fly.

Eric Lauer (8-6) allowed four runs on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings. The 31-yeare-old left-hander has been one of the best starters for Los Angeles since coming over from Toronto on May 17. He went 6-1 with a 3.48 ERA in his first 11 starts with the Dodgers.

Before the game, Los Angeles placed closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list with neck inflammation and recalled righty Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A. Tanner Scott, elevated to the closer role, earned his 17th save when he got TJ Rumfield to pop out to short with the tying run on.

Colorado's Will Castro hit his 14th homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning.

Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.46 ERA) faces Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (4-10, 6.27) in the finale of the three-game series Wednesday night.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Enrique Hern·ndez, left, celebrates with center fielder Andy Pages and right fielder Kyle Tucker, right, after defeating the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Jake McCarthy doubles off Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Tanner Scott in the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy tries to field a single off the bat of Colorado Rockies' Braxton Fulford in the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Rockies' Connor Norby, left, slides safely into second base with an RBI double as Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman applies a late tag in the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani drops his bat as he heads up the first-base line after hitting a two-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ryan Feltner in the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

NEW YORK (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. robbed New York's Francisco Lindor of a grand slam and hit two homers, leading the San Diego Padres to a 5-2 win over the Mets on Tuesday night.

Tatis hit the first pitch from Zac Thornton 452 feet into the second deck in left field for his team-record 18th career leadoff homer. Tatis added a two-run homer off Thornton in the fifth. He has 15 homers after opening the season without a longball in his first 238 at-bats.

But, Tatis' biggest contribution in the game came in the field in the second inning when reached over the wall in in right field and pulled back Lindor’s potential slam. Tatis stood and stared straight ahead when he landed, leaving everyone momentarily confused as to whether he'd caught the ball. Tatis then help up his glove and Padres pitcher Robbie Ray raised his arms and put his own glove on his head.

Tatis’ leaping catch came a night after Mets outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing combined to throw out three Padres players at the plate.

Ty France added a run-scoring single in the seventh for the Padres, who lead the majors with an 18-6 record since July 24. Manny Machado hit his 24th homer of the season, a solo shot in the ninth inning.

Ray (11-7) allowed three hits, including Luis Torrens’ homer, and struck out four in six innings on the way to his first win since being acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline. Mason Miller struck out two in the ninth and earned his 31st save.

New York's Luis Robert Jr. homered in the eighth.

Thornton (3-4) gave up three runs and tied a career-high with seven strikeouts in five innings for the Mets, who are 10-4 since the trade deadline.

Padres RHP Michael King (8-8, 3.41 ERA) starts against Mets RHP Robert Stock (0-2, 6.57 ERA) in Wednesday’s series finale.

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

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates with Ty France (25) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Mets pitcher Zac Thornton throws against the San Diego Padres during the third inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. reacts after hitting a two run home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Robbie Ray (38) throws against the New York Mets during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. follows through on a two run home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)