Ohtani pitches 1 sharp inning, then drives in 5 runs in Dodgers' 13-7 win over Nationals
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani follows through on a throw to a Washington Nationals batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
By GREG BEACHAM
Shohei Ohtani pitched one hitless inning in his second mound start of the season before hitting a three-run triple and a two-run homer, and Max Muncy had a grand slam and a three-run homer in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 13-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun. The two-way superstar is easing his way back onto the mound with short starts, and he was more effective against the Nats than in his season mound debut last Monday against San Diego.
Ohtani then had his most productive offensive game in some time, delivering two huge hits in the late innings.
He cleared the bases with a drive into the right field corner during the Dodgers' seven-run seventh, and he added his 26th homer in the eighth to put LA up 13-3.
The defending World Series champions finished their 10-game homestand at 7-3, taking two of three from Washington.
The Dodgers trailed 3-0 in the sixth when Muncy delivered his seventh career grand slam — also his 200th homer. Muncy then hit a three-run shot off Cole Henry in the seventh for his 18th multi-homer game.
Nathaniel Lowe hit a three-run homer and Michael Soroka struck out a career-high 10 while pitching two-hit ball into the sixth inning for the Nats, who have lost six straight series while going 4-16 in June.
Ben Casparius (6-1) allowed three runs and five hits over five innings after coming on behind Ohtani.
Soroka retired 14 of the Dodgers' first 15 batters, issuing just one walk until Hyeseong Kim roped a long double to left with two outs in the fifth.
The Dodgers finally responded in the sixth, chasing Soroka right before Muncy's slam off José A. Ferrer (2-3).
Ferrer stopped the game with a 2-1 count on Muncy to complain about the mound conditions, compelling the grounds crew to come onto the field for significant work. Muncy blasted Ferrer's second pitch after the delay deep into the left field bleachers.
Muncy tied his career high with seven RBIs. The slugger has done it three times, most recently May 31 against the Yankees.
Washington's Mitchell Parker (4-8, 4.59 ERA) takes the mound Monday in San Diego. The Dodgers have a day off before a probable bullpen game at Colorado on Tuesday.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Ohtani throws 2 scoreless innings, hitless at plate in loss
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Kyodo) -- Shohei Ohtani continued to show his progress on the mound by pitching two scoreless innings while going hitless in four at-bats in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. Ohtani's four-seam fastball hit 101.7 miles (around 164 kilometers) per hour, the fastest pitch of his major league career, when he got Vinnie Pasquantino to ground into an inning-ending double play in a two-on situation in the bottom of the first at Kauffman Stadium. In Japan, his fastball topped out at 165 kph in a ninth-inning relief appearance for the Nippon Ham Fighters during a Pacific League playoff game against the SoftBank Hawks in October 2016. Ohtani allowed a single and a walk in the frame. He returned to the mound for a 1-2-3 second inning. The two-way star, who made his long-awaited return to the mound earlier this month from elbow surgery, struck out one in his third start of the season after working one inning each in his previous two outings. On the fastest pitch he has thrown in the majors, Ohtani said, "My velocity goes up naturally as I try not to give up a hit when runners are on base." "Overall, it was good to attack the (strike) zone aggressively." Maikel Garcia gave the Royals a 2-0 lead in the third with a two-run double off Ben Casparius, who relieved Ohtani. The Royals went on to extend their lead to 9-1 by the seventh, with Pasquantino driving in five runs with a homer and a double. The Dodgers had their five-game winning streak snapped. On the hitting side, Ohtani struck out three times and flied out once. In other action, Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer, his career-high 22nd of the season, among his two hits in a 12-3 rout of the Houston Astros.
Kyodo News
4 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Baseball: Ohtani throws 2 scoreless innings, hitless at plate in loss
KYODO NEWS - 22 minutes ago - 12:52 | Sports, All Shohei Ohtani continued to show his progress on the mound by pitching two scoreless innings while going hitless in four at-bats in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. Ohtani's four-seam fastball hit 101.7 miles (around 164 kilometers) per hour, the fastest pitch of his major league career, when he got Vinnie Pasquantino to ground into an inning-ending double play in a two-on situation in the bottom of the first at Kauffman Stadium. The two-way Japanese star allowed a single and a walk in the frame. He returned to the mound for a 1-2-3 second inning. Ohtani, who made his long-awaited return to the mound earlier this month from elbow surgery, struck out one in his third start of the season after working one inning each in his previous two outings. On the fastest pitch he has thrown in the majors, Ohtani said, "My velocity goes up naturally as I try not to give up a hit when runners are on base." "Overall, it was good to attack the (strike) zone aggressively." Maikel Garcia gave the Royals a 2-0 lead in the third with a two-run double off Ben Casparius, who relieved Ohtani. The Royals went on to extend their lead to 9-1 by the seventh, with Pasquantino driving in five runs with a homer and a double. The Dodgers had their five-game winning streak snapped. On the hitting side, Ohtani struck out three times and flied out once. In other action, Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer, his career-high 22nd of the season, among his two hits in a 12-3 rout of the Houston Astros. Related coverage: Baseball: Ohtani homers in 2nd straight game as Dodgers down Royals Baseball: Imanaga gets win in return from injury, Ohtani hits 28th HR Baseball: Dodgers' Yamamoto, Angels' Kikuchi pitch teams to victories
Japan Today
5 hours ago
- Japan Today
Ohtani unleashes 101.7 mph fastball in third start for Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Kansas City Royals Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career on Saturday, firing a 101.7mph fastball in the first inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-5 loss to the Royals in Kansas City. Ohtani pitched two innings for the first time since he returned to the mound this month after a near two-year absence in the wake of elbow surgery. With one out in the first he gave up a line drive single to Bobby Witt Jr then walked Maikel Garcia. Ohtani then went up two strikes against Vinnie Pasquantino -- on a 99.2 mph fastball and a 100.2 mph fastball, Pasquantino finally grounding into a double play off Ohtani's blistering 101.7 mph four-seam fastball -- the fastest pitch by a Dodgers hurler this year. Ohani retired three straight batters in the second and finished with 27 pitches, 20 of them strikes. At the plate, Ohtani struck out twice before he was taken out as pitcher, finishing the day 0-for-4. Ohtani, the reigning National Legue Most Valuable Player, returned to the mound this month for the first time since August 2023 -- when he tore elbow ligaments pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. He has starred with his bat since joining the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract in December 2023 but the team have taken a careful approach to his return to the mound. He has now pitched four innings in three outings this season with Saturday's start his first on the road. © 2025 AFP
