Photo: The Associated Press
Shohei Ohtani’s towering two-run homer and Will Smith’s pair of blasts lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, halting their six-game losing streak at Dodger Stadium — their longest since 2017.
After giving up a leadoff homer to All-Star Byron Buxton on his second pitch, Ohtani responded with a 441-foot shot to center in the bottom of the first, putting the Dodgers ahead 2-1. The Japanese star, who has now homered in three consecutive games, pitched three innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
Smith provided the cushion, hitting two homers off David Festa (3-4) — a solo shot in the fourth and a 435-foot blast to left for a 4-1 lead. Andy Pages added a solo homer off reliever Cole Sands. Dustin May (6-6) delivered 4 2/3 solid innings in relief, and Kirby Yates earned his third save.
Key Moments:
Carlos Correa, still a target of boos from Dodgers fans due to the 2017 World Series scandal, went 0-for-5 and was denied a potential game-tying homer when James Outman made a spectacular catch at the center-field wall in the ninth.
Key Stat:
Ohtani became the first pitcher since Philadelphia’s Randy Lerch in 1979 to give up and hit a home run in the first inning of the same game.
Up Next:
The series continues Tuesday with Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 3.95 ERA) facing Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7, 2.59 ERA).