LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Eric Lauer allowed four hits over 6 1/3 innings and Shohei Ohtani homered to lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Lauer struck out six and gave up one earned run to earn his seventh win against six losses. Landon Knack followed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two, to record his first save. The Dodgers improved to 74-48. Kansas City dropped to 50-73.

The decisive moment came in the third inning. Kansas City had just taken a 2-1 lead in the top half when Miguel Rojas doubled to left field. Ohtani then hit a two-run homer to left-center, his 27th of the season, to put Los Angeles ahead 3-2. Ohtani finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

Hunter Feduccia extended the lead in the fifth inning with a solo homer to center, his third, making it 4-2. That proved to be enough for Lauer and the Dodgers bullpen. Mookie Betts had earlier homered in the second inning, his 15th, and went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Rojas went 1 for 2 at the plate.

Kansas City scored first. Tyler Tolbert walked in the second inning, and Josh Rojas singled to right field to drive him in. The Royals regained the lead in the third inning when Jac Caglianone reached on a throwing error by Betts and Salvador Perez singled him home.

Daniel Lynch IV took the loss for Kansas City. Lynch allowed three runs on three hits over 2 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and four walks. Mason Black worked three innings of relief and gave up one run on three hits while striking out one. Jose Cuas threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless inning.

The Dodgers collected eight hits, while Kansas City had six. The Dodgers grounded into two double plays, one in the fourth inning when Max Muncy hit into a 4-6-3 double play, and another in the eighth when Betts grounded into a 4-3 double play.

Kansas City threatened in the seventh inning. Bobby Witt Jr. singled and Caglianone singled to put runners at first and third with two outs, but Luke Maile grounded out to end the inning. Lauer had exited after striking out Josh Rojas to open the seventh, and Knack worked around the hits to keep the Royals off the board.

Witt Jr. doubled in the first inning and singled in the seventh for Kansas City. Perez singled in a run, and Josh Rojas drove in a run with a single. Starling Marte also singled for the Royals. The Royals left runners in scoring position in multiple innings and could not bring home the tying run after the Dodgers took the lead.

The game was played before a crowd of 47,578 and lasted 2 hours 31 minutes. Kansas City pitchers combined for 19 strikes, 52 balls and 19 balls in play. Los Angeles pitchers combined for 11 strikes, 46 balls and 11 balls in play.

The Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the Royals in the series, having won 5-4 on Tuesday and 6-5 on Monday. Kansas City has lost four consecutive games. Los Angeles has won three straight.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Kansas City 3, Los Angeles 5. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Los Angeles with a 70.60 percent probability to win. Los Angeles was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 9.5.