Ohtani sparks Dodgers with a leadoff homer, leads 7 hitless innings in 4-1 win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani homered and combined with two other pitchers for seven hitless innings before the Rockies broke up the no-hitter bid in the eighth in a 4-1 win over Colorado on Wednesday night.

Ohtani’s 19 1/3-inning scoreless streak ended in the fourth when the right-hander allowed an earned run on Willi Castro’s groundout to second, raising his ERA to 0.82. Ohtani (5-2) earned his third consecutive victory.

He has yet to give up more than two runs in any of his nine starts this season. Ohtani has given up one or no earned runs in eight of his nine starts.

Tanner Scott took over to start the eighth and allowed a two-out single to right by Tyler Freeman after Ohtani and Will Klein combined for seven hitless innings.

Klein started the seventh and retired the side, helped by an inning-ending double play.

Kyle Hurt pitched the ninth to earn his first major league save.

Ohtani struck out seven and walked four. The right-hander left the game after throwing 99 pitches, 56 for strikes.

Ohtani’s 28th career leadoff home run and fourth this season came exactly a week after he went deep on the first pitch of the game before throwing five innings of three-hit ball against the Padres in San Diego on May 20.

His 424-foot shot to dead center came on a 1-1 pitch from countryman Tomoyuki Sugano (4-4). Two batters later, Freddie Freeman went deep, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Alex Call’s two-out RBI single extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1 in the fourth.

Andy Pages hit a solo shot to left in the eighth.

Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández exited with a left hamstring strain in the second after running out a groundout to shortstop.

Up next

After an off day, Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-7, 7.21 ERA) starts Friday at home against Giants RHP Logan Webb (2-4, 5.06).

After an off day, Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (4-0, 1.67) starts Friday against Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (6-2, 3.07).

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