Shohei Ohtani powers Dodgers to 15‑2 rout of Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. (Interstat) — Justin Wrobleski pitched six innings of two-run ball and the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for 15 runs on 10 hits to rout the Los Angeles Angels 15-2 on Saturday night at Angel Stadium, extending their winning streak to two games and handing the Angels their fourth straight loss.
Wrobleski, who improved to 6-1 on the season, allowed two runs on five hits while striking out six and walking three. The left-hander faced little trouble until the sixth inning, when the Angels briefly cut into a five-run deficit. José Soriano took the loss for the Angels, falling to 6-3 after allowing six runs, all earned, on four hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.
The Dodgers struck first in the top of the first inning. Shohei Ohtani drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on a single by Mookie Betts and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Will Smith. The 1-0 lead held until the sixth, when the Dodgers broke the game open.
The pivotal moment came in the top of the sixth. After Ohtani grounded out to lead off, the Dodgers loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. Andy Pages then walked to force in a run, and Max Muncy walked to bring home another. Teoscar Hernández was hit by a pitch to score a third run, and Alex Call followed with a two-run single to left, giving the Dodgers a 6-0 lead. The outburst totaled five runs on just one hit, capitalizing on three walks, two hit batters and a lack of command from Soriano.
The Angels responded in the bottom of the sixth. Zach Neto singled, and Jorge Soler doubled to put runners at second and third. Jo Adell then doubled to center, scoring both Neto and Soler to make it 6-2. But Wrobleski settled down, striking out Oswald Peraza and inducing flyouts from Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe to end the threat.
The Dodgers added four more runs in the eighth, chasing Angels reliever Chase Silseth. Muncy singled to lead off, moved to second on a groundout, and after Alex Call walked, Ohtani tripled to right field. The ball was initially ruled in play, and an umpire review upheld the call. Ohtani’s triple scored Muncy and Call, and a throwing error by right fielder Jo Adell allowed Ohtani to score. Betts then crushed a solo home run to left, his fourth of the season, to make it 10-2.
The Dodgers poured it on in the ninth against Alek Manoah and Adam Frazier. Will Smith walked, Andy Pages singled, and Muncy reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Smith on a throwing error by Manoah. Hernández singled to score Pages, and after a strikeout, Hyeseong Kim walked to load the bases. Ohtani doubled to right, clearing the bases and scoring Muncy, Hernández and Kim. Santiago Espinal added a single before Dalton Rushing grounded into a double play to end the inning. The five-run ninth gave the Dodgers a 15-2 lead.
The Angels managed eight hits in the game but stranded seven runners. Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout. Oswald Peraza, Jose Siri, Zach Neto, Jorge Soler and Nolan Schanuel each collected hits, but no Angel had more than one. Vaughn Grissom and Logan O’Hoppe also singled, and Josh Lowe singled in the ninth.
The Dodgers’ victory improved their record to 28-18, while the Angels fell to 16-30. The win came one night after the Dodgers shut out the Angels 6-0 on Friday. The two teams will meet again Sunday in the series finale before the Dodgers head to San Diego and the Angels host the Athletics.
The Dodgers have won four of their last five games, while the Angels have lost nine of their last 10. The Angels are last in the American League West, 14 games behind the first-place Houston Astros.
The game drew 44,841 fans at Angel Stadium and lasted 2 hours, 57 minutes.
Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles Dodgers 5, Los Angeles Angels 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Dodgers with a 70.90 percent probability to win. The Dodgers had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 17 went under the over/under line of 8.5.