Mookie Betts’ 2-run homer in the 8th inning propels Dodgers to 3-1 victory over Rays
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Sunday to take the weekend series.
After Shohei Ohtani was hit in the left forearm on a sinker by Richard Lovelady (3-5), Betts drove the first pitch he saw from the left-hander over the wall in left-center to put the Dodgers back on top. It was Betts’ 13th homer of the season and his third since returning to the lineup after he missed nearly two months due to a broken left hand.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game that scans on Ohtani’s forearm were negative and that he was feeling fine.
Kiké Hernández opened the scoring with his ninth homer in the fifth inning, helping the NL West leaders improve to 5-1 on their nine-game homestand. Next up is a three-game series against Baltimore.
Blake Treinen (6-3) got three outs for the win after Gavin Stone struck out seven in seven innings for the Dodgers.
Stone’s only mistake occurred in the seventh, when Jonny DeLuca led off with his fourth homer. The drive to left-center stopped Stone’s 15-inning scoreless streak.
Anthony Banda worked the ninth for his second save in a game that took just 2 hours, 3 minutes.
Hernández lined a cutter from Jacob Lopez just over the wall in left-center. Hernández also had an important defensive play in the top half of the inning, robbing Ben Rortvedt with a running catch near the wall in left-center.
Lopez, who was brought up from Triple-A Durham after originally scheduled starter Shane Baz could not go due to the flu. allowed two hits and struck out six in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (triceps) will have his first rehab assignment on Wednesday when he is expected to throw two innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City. … Manager Dave Roberts said pitcher River Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and is at home in North Carolina recovering. Ryan is expected to be back in Los Angeles next week.
UP NEXT
Rays: Continue their road trip with a three-game series at Seattle. RHP Ryan Pepiot (7-5, 3.65 ERA), who is 3-0 in his last four starts, takes the mound for Tampa Bay on Monday.
Dodgers: Begin their series against the Orioles on Tuesday night. RHP Jack Flaherty (10-5, 3.00 ERA) starts the opener for LA. He is 3-0 with a 3.22 ERA in four starts since he was acquired in a trade with Detroit on July 30.
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