Shohei Ohtani homers twice as Dodgers sweep Braves with 5-1 win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went 4 for 4 with two dwelling runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 5-1, on Sunday afternoon to brush the three-game collection.

Ohtani launched a dangling curveball from Braves began Max Fried 412 toes over the middle discipline fence for a two-run homer within the first inning. He added a pair of singles within the third and the sixth earlier than main off the eighth inning with a 464-foot blast off reliever A.J. Minter deep into the left heart discipline bleachers.

“He simply retains doing issues that we simply hadn’t seen haven’t seen earlier than,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “That’s deep. Individuals don’t hit the ball on the market, whether or not you’re left-handed or right-handed.”

It was Ohtani’s first multihomer recreation with the Dodgers and the seventeenth of his profession. His 4 hits additionally tied a profession excessive. He’s now tied for the most important league lead with 10 dwelling runs this season.

“I simply really feel like we’re general taking part in rather well,” Ohtani stated by means of interpreter Will Ireton. “In order that’s actually serving to me have high quality at-bats. Simply feeling good general.”

Teoscar Hernandez added a two-run homer and James Paxton took a shutout into the seventh inning for the Dodgers. Paxton (4-0) completed with 6 2/3 innings pitched, 5 hits and one run allowed, two walks and three strikeouts to stay unbeaten on the season.

Paxton retired 16 of his first 18 batters to open the sport and delivered his longest begin since June 30 with Boston.

“I felt nice,” Paxton stated. “I lastly felt some rhythm on the market. I’ve been working laborious between video games right here attempting to determine it out. Simply feels good to make some progress.”

Marcell Ozuna homered for the Braves, who’ve misplaced 5 of their final six. Fried (2-1) pitched seven innings, allowed 4 hits and 4 runs, walked three and struck out seven.

The Braves have scored three runs or much less in six of their final eight video games. They didn’t advance a runner previous first base till Ozuna’s homer within the seventh.

“We’re in slightly little bit of an offensive rut, that’s all there’s to it,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “It’s a type of issues the place if we solely undergo it one time this yr, we’ll be fortunate.”

Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Dodgers in his first look for the reason that 2022 postseason. Michael Grove retired the facet so as within the ninth to wrap up the sweep.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: RHP Evan Phillips was positioned on the 15-day injured checklist, retroactive to Saturday, with a proper hamstring pressure. Treinen was activated from the 15-day IL after lacking the beginning of the season with a bruised lung and fractured ribs.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Reynaldo Lopez (2-1, 1.50 ERA) begins the opener of a two-game collection in opposition to Boston on Tuesday.

Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (0-0, 0.00) makes his first begin since June 2022 within the opener of a three-game collection in opposition to Miami on Monday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb