MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff home run, Freddie Freeman also went deep to break a sixth-inning tie and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Monday night.
Eric Lauer (3-5) pitched six hitless innings for Los Angeles after opener Will Klein allowed Byron Buxton’s homer in the first. Freeman’s 13th of the season helped the Dodgers win after losing back-to-back games for the first time since May 11-12.
Tanner Scott converted his 10th save in 11 chances, but Los Angeles lost outfielder Kyle Tucker and catcher Dalton Rushing during the game. Tucker left in the second with low back spasms, and Rushing was pulled in the third to get checked for a concussion.
Ohtani didn’t take long to give the large contingent of Dodgers fans reason to celebrate, hitting the second pitch of the game deep into the plaza in right field. An 87 mph changeup in the middle of the zone from Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews left Ohtani’s bat at 112.8 mph and cleared the right-field seats at Target Field.
Ohtani has four homers and 10 RBIs in 13 career games at the ballpark. It was his sixth leadoff homer this season and seventh in 17 games in June.
Buxton answered in the bottom of the first with his 25th home run, which tied Houston’s Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead, four behind Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber for tops in the majors. Buxton has eight homers in his last 15 games.
But the Twins went hitless between Royce Lewis’ two-out single in the first and Austin Martin’s leadoff single in the eighth. Lauer walked three and struck out two.
Matthews (3-5) permitted two runs on six hits and two walks in six innings while striking out five.
Up next
Right-hander Joe Ryan was scheduled to start for Minnesota, but manager Derek Shelton announced after the game that he is dealing with an illness. Left-hander Kendry Rojas (1-0, 1.26 ERA) will start Tuesday’s game. He was reinstated from the injured list on Sunday after recovering from left elbow inflammation.
Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (8-2, 2.72) will start for the Dodgers.
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