Shohei Ohtani (17), designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, steals second base during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.
16:34 JST, August 22, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Muncy’s three-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning, Shohei Ohtani stole his 39th base of the season and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Seattle Mariners 8-4 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.
Ohtani is just one stolen base and one home run away from becoming the fastest player in Major League history to reach 40-40. The Japanese superstar would be the first player in Dodgers history to do so.
The NL West leaders outscored the Mariners 17-7 in the interleague series. The Dodgers won their fourth in a row and extended their lead over Arizona and San Diego to four games.
“What we did with those starters that series was a clinic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “You could argue the starting staff there is one of the top two in baseball. Grinding those guys out and getting into the bullpen was one of our most impressive three-game series in terms of beating the starter.”
Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty (10-5) allowed two runs — one earned — and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-handed pitcher struck out five and walked one.
The faltering Mariners have lost three in a row and eight of nine, going 1-8 on their trip to Detroit, Pittsburgh and L.A.
The Dodgers extended their lead to 8-1 with two outs in the fifth. Freddie Freeman’s RBI double scored Ohtani, who singled, stole second and took third on Logan Gilbert’s wild pitch.
Freeman scored on Hernández’s RBI single after reaching third on another wild pitch by Gilbert. Muncy’s double to the right-field corner drove in three more runs.
“They have a really good pitching staff there, maybe the best in baseball, and it felt really, really good to be able to hit some good shots,” said Muncy, who was taken off the injured list earlier this week after a nearly three-month absence.
Gilbert (7-10) retired the first six Dodgers before scoring in each of the next three innings. The right-handed pitcher allowed eight runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out seven and walking two. He had three wild pitches, all of which led to runs.
Will Smith’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in center extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1 in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández ran, stole second and took third on Gilbert’s wild pitch.
The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead on a hard-hit double to the left-field corner by Mookie Betts with two outs in the third. Kevin Kiermaier reached on a fielding error by shortstop Leo Rivas, and Ohtani ran and scored from first base with no play at the plate.
The Mariners led 1-0 on Dominic Canzone’s sacrifice fly that scored Randy Arozarena, who was hit by Flaherty and then stared down the pitcher and stole second in the second. Arozarena appeared to take issue with it after being hit by his former St. Louis teammate’s 2-2 pitch.
“I respect Randy as a player,” Flaherty said. “There’s no reason for me to hit him in that position and he took offense to it.”
Arozarena hit a flyout to end the third inning and never got to first while he was chirping Flaherty. Both benches emptied, but the umpires came to center and nothing happened.
Asked what he said to Arozarena, Flaherty said: “It doesn’t matter. It’s between the lines.”
Fans booed Arozarena when he came up in the sixth. Flaherty walked him and the outfielder threw his bat and walked to first base. After the Dodgers’ big fifth, Arozarena slowly walked in from left field as Hernández came out to take his place and they talked.
