52-53: Shohei Ohtani Steals His 53rd Base; Rockies over NL West-leading Dodgers 6-3

AP

16:26 JST, September 22, 2024

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a tiebreaking homer in the fifth inning and the last-place Colorado Rockies regrouped after blowing a three-run lead to beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 on Saturday night.

The loss by the 92-win Dodgers assured that for the first time since 2014 no team in the major leagues will win 100 games, not including the 60-game, pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The Dodgers’ division lead dropped to three games over second-place San Diego, which beat the Chicago White Sox. Los Angeles managed just one hit after the fifth.

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani stole his 53rd base in the ninth. He has swiped 30 straight bases without being caught dating to July 23.

“He gets the big lead and it feels like five steps he’s at second base,” Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings said.

Ohtani, the newly crowned 50-50 king, remained at 52 homers. He singled, walked, scored and struck out on his final giveaway night of the season. The first 40,000 fans in the sellout crowd of 52,267 received an Ohtani T-shirt. Earlier, his two bobblehead promotions snarled traffic and created long lines.

The Dodgers loaded the bases against Seth Halvorsen with two outs in the ninth. Ohtani singled and Freddie Freeman and Tommy Edman walked before Max Muncy went down swinging.

“A really good win for us,” Rockies starter Cal Quantrill said. “At times we’ve had a hard time holding leads. Our bullpen in the last few weeks has been terrific and gave me the freedom to pitch the way I wanted to.”

Halvorsen earned his first major league save. He found out after the eighth that he would pitch the ninth.

“Seth’s been super impressive to all of us older guys,” Stallings said. “He didn’t look like his heartbeat was fast at all.”

McMahon homered off starter Walker Buehler (1-6), giving the third baseman his fifth consecutive 20-homer season.

Four of the Rockies’ six runs came on two-out, two-strike hits, including Charlie Blackmon’s two-run homer in the ninth off Daniel Hudson.

Fans booed Rockies reliever Luis Peralta (5-3) for hitting Ohtani on his right elbow with a pitch in the sixth. Ohtani isn’t pitching this season as he rehabilitates from the elbow surgery he had in September 2023.

Colorado led 3-0 on Michael Toglia’s fielder’s choice grounder to Buehler in the first. Buehler’s throw to the plate was too high, allowing Blackmon to score after he doubled and went to third on a wild pitch. Ezequiel Tovar doubled down the left-field line for two runs with two outs in the second.

The Dodgers pulled to 3-2 on Mookie Betts’ two-run homer in the third that scored Ohtani, who walked. They tied it at 3 on Hunter Feduccia’s RBI single with two outs in the fourth.

Buehler gave up four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, struck out a season-high nine and walked one.

“I think I’ve had some rough patches and really questioned if I have the stuff to compete,” Buehler said, “and tonight I felt like I could compete, and just didn’t make the big pitches in the big spots, or kind of made little mistakes and in the big spots, and that’s frustrating.”

Quantrill allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four.

“The battle was good,” Quantrill said. “We got the outs when we needed them and we didn’t give in.”