Shohei Ohtani Power Dodgers Past Reeling Mets 10-3 for 3-game Sweep

AP

10:36 JST, May 30, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered and drove in three runs, Will Smith went deep twice and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the frustrated New York Mets with a 10-3 victory on Wednesday.

Smith’s second homer was a tiebreaking solo shot off Adam Ottavino (1-2) to start a six-run eighth inning capped by Ohtani’s two-run drive. Miguel Vargas blooped a two-run double, and Miguel Rojas bounced an RBI single over a drawn-in infield during the latest meltdown by a dreadful Mets bullpen.

Jason Heyward had a pinch-hit triple in the eighth and added a solo homer in the ninth. Rojas matched a career high with four of Los Angeles’ 16 hits.

Ohtani also had an RBI single. He began the day in a 7-for-37 (.189) slide since his previous home run May 17 against Cincinnati.

Ohtani’s 14th homer of the season came off reliever Jorge López, who was ejected moments later for shouting at third base umpire Ramon De Jesus over an appeal ruling on Freddie Freeman’s checked swing.

New York (22-33) has lost 10 of 12 and 15 of 19.

Smith also doubled and scored three times as the NL West leaders took all three games at Citi Field after arriving on a five-game losing streak. The All-Star catcher has three homers in the last two games — he connected in the nightcap of Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep.

Blake Treinen (2-0) worked a scoreless seventh for the win.

Los Angeles built a 3-0 lead on Smith’s first homer and RBI singles by Andy Pages and Ohtani. Smith doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Pages’ base hit.

But unbeaten starter James Paxton was pulled after throwing 50 pitches in three shutout innings, and New York tied it in the fifth. No. 9 batter Tomás Nido launched a two-run homer off Elieser Hernández, who walked Francisco Lindor before he scored on J.D. Martinez’s double against Michael Grove.

A spokesperson for the Dodgers said there was nothing physically wrong with Paxton, often derailed by injuries throughout his 11-year career.

Mets starter David Peterson allowed three runs — two earned — and seven hits over five innings in his season debut following left hip surgery. Peterson cost himself with an errant pickoff attempt prior to Ohtani’s run-scoring single.