Betts Homer and Tucker Robbery Lead Dodgers to Sweep Nationals
- The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals Wednesday night to complete a sweep.
- Shohei Ohtani hit his 27th home run of the season in the third inning, a two-run, go-ahead drive that chased Kansas City starter Daniel Lynch IV from the...
- Eric Lauer earned the win for Los Angeles, pitching 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball while yielding one earned run and striking out six batters on 112 pitches.
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals Wednesday night to complete a sweep. The win was anchored by home runs from Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Hunter Feduccia, lifting the Dodgers to their fourth win in five games after emerging from a seven-game skid.
Ohtani and Betts Power Dodgers Offense
Shohei Ohtani hit his 27th home run of the season in the third inning, a two-run, go-ahead drive that chased Kansas City starter Daniel Lynch IV from the game. Lynch threw just 39 pitches before exiting. Mookie Betts added two hits and a walk in the contest, bringing his total to 11 hits over his past seven games. Hunter Feduccia also contributed a solo home run in the fifth inning, marking the catcher’s third career homer and his first since returning to Los Angeles from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.
Pitching Performances and Bullpen Management
Eric Lauer earned the win for Los Angeles, pitching 6 1/3 innings of four-hit ball while yielding one earned run and striking out six batters on 112 pitches. Lauer has revived his career after being dumped by Toronto in May, though he is expected to lose his spot in the starting rotation once Tyler Glasnow or Shohei Ohtani return to the mound. Landon Knack pitched the final 2 2/3 innings after being recalled from the minors earlier in the day, earning his third major league save and first of the season to preserve a taxed Dodgers bullpen.
Roster Updates and Upcoming Schedule
Freddie Freeman experienced a scary moment in the eighth inning when he fell down the Royals’ dugout stairs while attempting to catch Isaac Collins’ foul popup. Freeman stayed in the game initially before Tommy Edman pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the eighth. For the Royals, Salvador Perez drove in an early run before leaving the game in the sixth inning due to right elbow aggravation, compounding a difficult stretch for Kansas City, which has dropped four straight games and 10 of 13. The Dodgers return to the field Thursday to open a four-game series against the MLB-leading Brewers at Chavez Ravine, with Roki Sasaki scheduled to take the mound. The Royals travel to Anaheim to begin a weekend series against the Angels, featuring Seth Lugo as their starting pitcher.
