Shohei Ohtani Strikes Out Eight as Dodgers Sweep Twins 4-3

Shohei Ohtani struck out eight batters over six innings and added two hits with an RBI to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. japantimes.co.jp reported that Ohtani improved to 8-2 while allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks. His ERA rose to 1.58.

Mookie Betts went 3-for-4 with a double and a solo home run. Max Muncy finished 2-for-4 with one RBI. The Dodgers completed their sweep of the three-game series. Betts opened the scoring with a solo homer to left-center in the top of the second.

The Twins responded in the bottom half when Victor Caratini, Brooks Lee and Tristan Gray singled to load the bases. A passed ball by catcher Dalton Rushing allowed Caratini to score, and Ryan Kreidler followed with a two-run single to center that gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead. Los Angeles scored three times in the top of the third.

Ohtani delivered an RBI single to center, Muncy added an RBI single to right, and Alex Call drove in Freddie Freeman with a sacrifice fly to put the Dodgers ahead 4-3. Joe Ryan allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings for the Twins. Kreidler finished with two RBIs, while Caratini and Tristan Gray each had two hits.

Byron Buxton struck out as the potential tying run in the bottom of the ninth. “I just took the initiative to really gameplan and have a plan of attack for each hitter,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton.