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AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani waits for his dog Decoy as Decoy delivers the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Shohei Ohtani, second from left, hits a solo home run as Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, left, and catcher James McCann, right, watch along with home plate umpire John Bacon during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Shohei Ohtani, left, gestures as he heads for third as Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias watches after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Shohei Ohtani heads to third for a seal during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Los Angeles.
AP
16:15 JST, August 29, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teoscar Hernández hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the third inning, Shohei Ohtani went deep leading off the game on his second bobblehead night and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Ohtani singled and scored in the third and scored again in the fifth, giving the Japanese superstar a career-high 104 runs this season, bettering his mark of 103 set in 2021 with the Los Angeles Angels.
“Any big moment he seems to rise to the occasion,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani blasted his 42nd homer off Corbin Burnes (12-7) and stole his 41st and 42nd bases in pursuit of becoming the first major leaguer in history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season. He has 14 stolen bases in August, the most by a Dodger in a month since his manager Roberts had 15 in March and April in 2004.
“We knew going into the game this was going to be a tough lineup and a tough pitcher to face,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “We collectively did very well against him.”
He and beloved dog Decoy — who appear together on the bobblehead — handled the ceremonial first pitch in front of a sellout crowd of 53,290. Upon Ohtani’s signal at home plate, the dog carried the ball in his mouth from the mound to the plate, where he and his owner shared a high five.
Trailing 3-1, the Dodgers rallied to score four runs and take a 5-3 lead in the third. Mookie Betts had a RBI single and Hernández belted his 28th homer with two outs.
Baltimore cut it to 5-4 on Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI double into the right-field corner that chased Dodgers starter Walker Buehler in the fifth.
“I thought we had some good ABs early, didn’t do much from the middle of the game on offensively, but yeah, wasn’t our cleanest game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
Anthony Banda (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief to get the victory. Michael Kopech retired the side in the ninth for his 12th save.
The Orioles led 3-1 in the second on miscues by the Dodgers. A one-out error by third baseman Max Muncy put O’Hearn on first. Catcher Will Smith’s dropped third strike allowed Cedric Mullins to reach first and moved O’Hearn to second. They scored on Ramón Urías’ double to right. James McCann’s bloop single to left brought Urías home.
“We certainly didn’t help Walker out,” Roberts said. “Will just got confused. It bounced in the dirt and I think he thought he caught it in the air.”
Buehler got to the dugout and fired his glove on the bench in frustration. He allowed four runs — two earned — and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.
Buehler has been fighting to regain his pre-Tommy John surgery form.
“I was encouraged as I’ve been since 2021,” he said. “I felt like I could get guys out. I felt very competitive.”
Burnes gave up six runs — one earned — and five hits in five innings while striking out four.
