Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after being hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays reliever Richard Lovelady during the eighth inning of a Los Angeles baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
13:01 JST, August 26, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Sunday to win the weekend series.
After Shohei Ohtani was hit on his left forearm by a sinker from Richard Lovelady (3-5), Betts hit the first pitch he saw from the left-hander over the left-center wall to put the Dodgers back ahead. It was Betts’ 13th home run of the season and his third since returning to the lineup after a nearly two-month absence with a broken left hand.
“I was just looking for a strike to hit. I’ve been getting a lot of strikes, especially early in the count,” Betts said of his first home run at Dodger Stadium since June 2. “I knew it was at least a double, which would have given us a chance to hit one. And that’s all I really cared about. Just give us a lead and go into the ninth inning and finish it off.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game that scans of Ohtani’s forearm were negative and he felt fine.
“You’re always holding your breath. Luckily, it hit him on the forearm,” Roberts said. “When you’re talking about little bones in the hands and things like that, four to six weeks at this time of year is a scary experience.”
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Richard Lovelady during the eighth inning of a Los Angeles baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
Kiké Hernández opened the scoring with his ninth home run in the fifth inning, helping the NL West leaders extend their lead to 5-1 in their nine-game home series.
Los Angeles has the best record in the majors at 78-53, but is only three games ahead of Arizona in the NL West. Next up for the Dodgers is a three-game series against Baltimore
“Those other teams are really getting hot, and they’re playing really well, so it was just important for us to keep playing the game,” Betts said. “We just have to stay who we are and keep doing the same things we always do.”
Blake Treinen (6-3) got three outs for the win after Gavin Stone struck out seven in seven innings for the Dodgers.
Stone’s only error came in the seventh, when Jonny DeLuca hit his fourth home run. The drive to left-center ended Stone’s 15-inning scoreless streak.
Anthony Banda made his second save in the ninth inning of a game that lasted just 2 hours and 3 minutes.
Hernández hit a cutter from Jacob Lopez just over the wall in left-center. Hernández also made a key defensive play in the top half of the inning, robbing Ben Rortvedt with a running catch near the wall in left-center.
Lopez, who was brought over from Triple-A Durham after scheduled starting pitcher Shane Baz was unable to play due to the flu, allowed two hits and struck out six in five innings.
“He was great. I was happy for him,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He got into a good spot, got into a good rhythm and pitched with confidence.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (triceps) will get his first rehab assignment on Wednesday, expected to pitch two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers practices before a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
