Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani leads the first base line after drawing a walk from Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ty Blach in the second inning of the baseball game, Thursday, June 20, in Denver.
10:09 JST, June 21, 2024
DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani led off the game with his 21st home run of the season, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Thursday.
Ohtani’s homer was his fourth in five games and Smith and Freeman each hit their 11th for a 5-0 lead over Ty Blach (3-5) to help the Dodgers take three of four from the Rockies.
“It was big to jump on those guys early,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani is 8 for 18 with two home runs, three doubles and six RBIs in four games as a leadoff hitter, moving up one spot in the order after Mookie Betts broke his left hand when he was hit by a pitch on Sunday.
“He’s great wherever he goes to hit,” Freeman said. “It doesn’t matter where that guy strikes, he’s going to strike.”
Jake Cave hit a two-run single as Colorado closed at 5-2 in the sixth. Ryan McMahon hit a 450-foot homer off Alex Vesia to lead off the eighth.
Evan Phillips threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his twelfth save in as many chances, sending the Rockies to their fourth loss in five games.
Gavin Stone (8-2) gave up two runs and four hits, all singles, in 5 1/3 innings. He tied a season high with seven strikeouts, all swinging, walked two and hit a batter.
“He has been nothing but phenomenal for us.” said Roberts. “The way he has evolved. For any starting pitcher, you just have to kind of evaluate whether he or she has the weapons to get shut out, to get out right away, to be efficient, to control the baseball. Can you navigate the setup three times? He checked all those boxes for me. He’s only going to get better.”
Stone recorded three strikeouts with his mid-90s fastball and two apiece with a curveball and a changeup. He is 7-1 with a 2.18 ERA in 10 starts since April 26.
Stone, making his first Coors Field start, credited Smith for his play behind the plate.
“I feel like you just need to throw your normal stuff away and put it in a good place,” Stone said. “It was a good day overall.”
Teoscar Hernández had three singles and scored a run, Freeman two singles and Chris Taylor two singles and two stolen bases. Freeman took some time at first base after reaching on an infield single in the ninth, but remained in the game after a visit from manager David Roberts and a member of the training staff.
“That was just the ground coming at me,” Freeman said with a smile. “I gave everything I had in my oxygen tank to hit that ball out. Four games in Denver, some good ones, I’m good. Four days in Colorado is a lot.”
Enrique Hernandez presented Freeman with an oxygen mask in the clubhouse after the game ended.
McMahon and Cave each had two of the Rockies’ six hits.
Ohtani’s home run to center field came just over the fence and the outstretched glove of Brenton Doyle, who crashed into the fence at the 450-foot sign.
