September 28 – Shohei Ohtani adds four hits and four RBI, including a home run, to his record-breaking season, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 11–4 to move within striking distance of the best record in the major leagues.
Ohtani also stole his 57th base, setting a single-season record for a Japanese-born player. Ichiro Suzuki stole 56 in his rookie season with the Sonics in 2001.
In Los Angeles’ four-run sixth inning, Ohtani blasted two singles, a double and a three-run homer to the second level in right field, his 54th. He now has 408 plate appearances this season.
Teoscar Hernandez had three hits, including a homer, Andy Page also hit deep, and Chris Taylor and Kevin Kiermaier had two hits each for the Dodgers (96-64). Los Angeles can clinch the best record in baseball with a win Saturday night.
Ben Casparius (2-0) pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win. He allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits, struck out seven and walked seven.
Ezequiel Tovar and Nolan Jones each had two hits for Colorado (61-99).
Hernandez gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead by hitting a 445-foot, two-run homer to left field in the first inning. This is his 32nd homer of the season.
Charlie Blackmon led off and Tovar’s triple made it 2-1 in the second half.
Los Angeles added three more runs in the second inning. Enrique Hernández led off with a single, Page walked, Taylor had an RBI single and Ohtani moved to third with a single.
The Dodgers stole two, Taylor came home and Ohtani ended up stealing second.
Paiges hit his 13th homer in the fourth inning to push the lead to 6-1, and Cal Cantrell finished the night after walking Austin Barnes. Quantrill (8-11) allowed six runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked twice and didn’t strike out.
The Rockies scored in the fifth inning. Jake Cave is gone, and Blackmon is gone as well. Tovar hits an infield single and Tommy Edman’s errant pass allows Cave to score from second. Colorado adds another run on Jones’ RBI single in the sixth inning.
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