Shohei Ohtani pitched one hitless inning in his second mound start of the season before hitting a three-run triple and a two-run homer, and Max Muncy had a grand slam and a three-run homer in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 13-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun. The two-way superstar is easing his way back onto the mound with short starts, and he was more effective against the Nats than in his season mound debut last Monday against San Diego.
Ohtani then had his most productive offensive game in some time, delivering two huge hits in the late innings.
He cleared the bases with a drive into the right field corner during the Dodgers’ seven-run seventh, and he added his 26th homer in the eighth to put LA up 13-3.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani hits home run vs. Nationals
Shohei Ohtani crushed a two-run home run vs. the Washington Nationals.
The defending World Series champions finished their 10-game homestand at 7-3, taking two of three from Washington.
The Dodgers trailed 3-0 in the sixth when Muncy delivered his seventh career grand slam — also his 200th homer. Muncy then hit a three-run shot off Cole Henry in the seventh for his 18th multi-homer game.
Nathaniel Lowe hit a three-run homer and Michael Soroka struck out a career-high 10 while pitching two-hit ball into the sixth inning for the Nats, who have lost six straight series while going 4-16 in June.
Ben Casparius (6-1) allowed three runs and five hits over five innings after coming on behind Ohtani.
Soroka retired 14 of the Dodgers’ first 15 batters, issuing just one walk until Hyeseong Kim roped a long double to left with two outs in the fifth.
The Dodgers finally responded in the sixth, chasing Soroka right before Muncy’s slam off Jose A. Ferrer (2-3).
Ferrer stopped the game with a 2-1 count on Muncy to complain about the mound conditions, compelling the grounds crew to come onto the field for significant work. Muncy blasted Ferrer’s second pitch after the delay deep into the left field bleachers.
Muncy tied his career high with seven RBIs. The slugger has done it three times, most recently May 31 against the Yankees.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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