LOS ANGELES – After an historic night on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers needed a strong performance from Dustin May—and he delivered just that. May produced a dazzling seven-inning masterpiece that left the White Sox hitters swinging at air and wondering what hit them.
The Dodgers’ offense backed him up, scoring six runs on seven hits. Mookie Betts and Michael Conforto both hit home runs, while Freddie Freeman contributed with two doubles, leading the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory over the White Sox on Thursday night, completing the sweep.
From the first pitch to the last, May was in control, showcasing the poise that is rapidly making him the pitcher the Dodgers have needed since his return from injury. The big right-hander proved why he is such a key figure in the Dodgers’ rotation.
“He was really good,” Dave Roberts said. “It was good to see him bounce back from that game in Kansas City. I thought the delivery was fantastic,”
May threw 21 pitches in the first two innings, with eight in the first inning alone. He recorded the final out of the third inning with a powerful 99 mph fastball strikeout. His performance against the White Sox was impressive, as he completed four perfect innings using only 37 pitches, 31 of which were strikes.
This was May’s best start of the season as he battled through 5 ⅔ perfect innings until Brooks Baldwin hit a single between Freeman and Tommy Edman.
May pitched for seven-plus innings, finishing with a 4.52 ERA and a record of 5-5. He didn’t allow a hit for nearly six innings and struck out nine batters in total. Everything was working well until his last pitch to Brooks Baldwin in the eighth inning.
“I didn’t execute,” May said. “It was a shitty pitch and location, I felt like I could’ve gotten out of it but he battled and I lost.”
Baldwin hit a two-run home run on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, launching a 94 mph sinker that was thrown down the middle. This was his fourth home run of the season and marked the 13th home run allowed by May this season.
“It was still a fantastic outing,” Roberts said.
The night unfolded as a masterclass in pitching. May was in complete control, skillfully mixing his 99 mph fastball with a devastating slider that had White Sox hitters swinging at pitches they had no business chasing. His rhythm was smooth and relentless, as he retired 16 batters in a row. This also marked the first time in his career that May pitched into the eighth inning.
“It doesn’t even feel like he’s missed 18 months,” Roberts said.
As the game progressed, the Dodgers’ offense effectively supported their teammate.
In the third inning, Shohei Ohtani led off with a walk. Betts followed him and grounded out to the shortstop, but Ohtani managed to beat the throw to second base, making both runners safe. Next up was Freeman, who hit a double down the left field line, scoring both Ohtani and Betts.
Michael Conforto has been on a hot streak lately, hitting a line drive two-run home run over the right field wall. In his last six games, he has recorded three home runs and eight RBIs. Conforto went 1-for-4, driving in two runs as success continues to find him. After the game, manager Roberts mentioned that Conforto is finally getting ahead of the fastball instead of falling behind. Conforto is confident that he can turn things around in the second half of the season.
“We’re moving in the right direction for sure,” Conforto said.
For Betts, his home run marked the end of a 21-game drought without one. Betts connected with a splitter thrown by Tyler Gilbert in the seventh inning, launching a moonshot over the left field wall.
Despite failing to get a hit in his first three at-bats, Betts capitalized in his fourth with his 10th home run of the season.
“He hit the split for a pull-side homer,” Roberts said. “I think he’ll sleep well tonight.”
Teoscar Hernandez achieved another milestone by hitting a single to left in the fifth inning, marking his 1,000th career hit.
As the final out was recorded, the crowd at Dodger Stadium rose to their feet, giving a standing ovation to the team that had just completed a sweep. This performance sent a message that they were firing on all cylinders. The Dodgers played flawless baseball throughout the three-game series, combining strong pitching, powerful hitting, and solid defense in a way that reminded everyone just how dangerous this team could be.
The Dodgers are set to open a three-game series against the Houston Astros this Friday, coinciding with the Fourth of July celebrations at Dodger Stadium. The Astros will start right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3, 6.61 ERA), while the Dodgers will counter with right-hander Ben Casparius (6-2, 3.97 ERA). Both teams are looking to solidify their positions, with the Dodgers aiming to extend their nine-game lead in the National League West Division.