Los Angeles Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas, left, goes to first base for a two-run home run as Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 14, 2024, in Los Angeles.
1:40 PM JST, June 15, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a go-ahead, two-out RBI single into center in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 Friday night.
Mookie Betts singled, went to second on an errant pickoff throw by reliever Will Smith (0-3) and scored on Freeman’s hit.
Daniel Hudson (3-1) got the win with a scoreless inning in relief and Alex Vesia pitched the ninth and earned his third save.
The Royals had the tying run at first base with two outs in the ninth on a single by pinch hitter Nelson Velazquez, but Nick Loftin flied out to end it.
The Dodgers tied the game 3-3 with two outs in the fifth.
Miguel Rojas hit a two-run homer just inside the left-field foul pole and one batter later, Chris Taylor went deep to tie the score. It was Taylor’s first homer since September 7, 2023.
When the Royals visited Dodger Stadium for the first time since 2017, they immediately felt at home.
Salvador Perez blasted a 450-foot homer that came off his bat at 110 mph, covering most of the left-field pavilion in the fourth inning. Maikel Garcia singled, took second on a grounder by Bobby Witt Jr. and advanced to third base on Gavin Stone’s wild pitch. Vinnie Pasquantino walked to set up Perez, who made it 3-0.
Witt Jr., who entered with a .330 major league average, went 0 for 4 on his 24th birthday. He made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch from Andy Pages, threw to second base and Loftin fired to first base to complete the Royals’ second double play of the game in the seventh.
Dodgers starter Stone allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Royals starter Cole Ragans gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked one.
The Dodgers improved to 16-1 at home against the Royals, who were swept on their last visit.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (shoulder) starts Wednesday at Colorado.
ROYAL TRADE
Kansas City traded minor league catcher Logan Porter to the San Francisco Giants for cash or a player to be named later.
NEXT ONE
Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (9-2, 2.36 ERA) starts Saturday after his first loss since April 21. He has allowed nine runs in 13 innings over his last two starts.
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (6-2, 3.00) leaves Saturday after his scheduled Thursday start was postponed for extra rest.
Los Angeles Dodgers design hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a foul ball during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, June 14, 2024, in Los Angeles.
