Freddie Freeman's Two-run Home Run Helps Dodgers Complete Sweep Of Rays

Tampa Bay Rays halfway fielder Cedric Mullins collided thorax first into nan bluish padding of nan halfway section wall arsenic he made 1 last-ditch effort to prevention his squad from nan series-finale loss. His glove, though, came up empty.

Not moreover a leaping Mullins, 1 of baseball’s seasoned home-run robbers, could extremity Freddie Freeman from doing what nan Dodgers first baseman does best: hitting clutch location runs.

Freeman’s two-run location run, group up by Andy Pages’ double an at-bat earlier, secured nan Dodgers a 5-4 triumph that allowed them to support a season-high nine-game lead complete their next-closest NL West rival, nan San Diego Padres (38-35). For nan Dodgers (48-27), it was their sixth expanse of nan play — each while surviving a shaky commencement by nan usually unshakable Shohei Ohtani.

If Ohtani’s near knee inflammation was bothering nan four-time MVP, it didn’t look to airs that awesome of a threat done nan first 4 innings, and he pinch-hit successful nan sixth inning for Miguel Rojas, who had started successful nan designated hitter role.

Tampa Bay (41-30) yet collapsed done successful nan 5th inning, scoring 4 runs connected small-ball hits that recovered conscionable capable grass. No peculiar transportation seemed peculiarly disconnected for Ohtani, though nan Rays connected much connected his four-seam fastball that inning than nan others.

A fistful of unlucky plays near nan Dodgers vulnerable. Take Mullins’ azygous to Freeman. The Rays’ halfway fielder had deed nan shot difficult capable that Freeman, much than a fistful of steps distant from nan bag, wouldn’t beryllium capable to make nan play unassisted. Ohtani tried his hardest to lucifer Mullins’ velocity but couldn’t.

After a five-hit inning, Ohtani escaped connected a bunt effort that went to Tommy Edman — playing 3rd guidelines successful his return from nan injured database — who threw to first for nan 3rd out. Ohtani’s 1.47 ERA, contempt 4 earned runs, is presently 2nd only to nan Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski among pitchers who’ve completed astatine slightest 70 innings.

The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani looks up while stepping to nan mound during nan 5th inning Wednesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Rays starter Shane McClanahan besides ran into akin tally problem successful nan 4th inning. Alex Call drove successful Mookie Betts for nan first tally of nan game, past then stole 2nd guidelines during Dalton Rushing’s at-bat. Call sprinted location connected an Alex Freeland single, his helmet popping disconnected and skidding a mates of feet into nan writer arsenic he crossed home.

McClanahan near nan crippled pinch bases loaded soon aft Call scored. The lefty walked Tommy Edman but was pulled earlier seeing Pages, who ended nan inning against Casey Legumina by lining retired softly to short.

The Dodgers came up short successful different bases-loaded opportunity nan adjacent inning, squandering a chance to return nan lead. Kyle Tucker pushed 1 tally crossed connected an RBI walk. Yet, without immoderate outs connected nan board, nan adjacent 3 batters — Call, Rushing and Freeland — went down successful order. The Dodgers vanished nan crippled pinch 11 runners near connected base, which astir costs them.

Alex Vesia walked nan tying run, and spent astir of his ninth-inning outing pinch Tampa Bay’s Austin Slater connected second. The Dodgers intentionally walked Yandy Díaz to look Jonathan Aranda pinch 2 outs, who earned a walk. With nan bases loaded, Vesia struck retired Mullins swinging to extremity nan game.

Injury Updates

Edman went 0 for 3 pinch a locomotion successful his first crippled back.

“Just knowing Tommy tin play anywhere, fundamentally connected nan field, and conscionable having him back, we’re each excited,” Roberts said earlier nan game.

Teoscar Hernández, who is presently retired pinch a hamstring injury, is scheduled to return unrecorded batting believe connected Thursday. A simulated crippled is besides successful nan useful for nan 33-year-old outfielder earlier a rehab crippled early adjacent week, Roberts said.

Will Smith is improbable to beryllium reinstated Friday erstwhile he is eligible to travel disconnected nan injured list. The Dodgers are still trying to fig retired ways to make judge he doesn’t regress erstwhile nan catcher comes backmost from a cervix injury. He did a afloat workout Tuesday.

“I don’t want to put a opportunity connected erstwhile he’s going to play,” Roberts said. “But each time is getting better.”