Freeman's Two-Run Homer Lifts Dodgers Past Rays as Ohtani Battles Injuries

Freddie Freeman hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning to propel the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. Freeman's 407-foot blast to center field off reliever Kevin Kelly came after the Rays had scored four runs against an injured Shohei Ohtani in the fifth inning.

Ohtani struggled through six innings on the mound, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking one. The Japanese star, now 7-2 on the season, was dealing with multiple injuries including a reopened blister on the middle finger of his right hand—a problem he had previously encountered in Pittsburgh—and lingering inflammation in his left knee that manager Dave Roberts said remained unresolved before the game.

After leaving the pitching mound, Ohtani made a pinch-hitting appearance in the bottom of the sixth as a replacement for designated hitter Miguel Rojas but grounded out on the first pitch, his only at-bat of the game. This unexpected substitution left the Dodgers without a designated hitter for the remainder of the contest.

The victory completed a three-game series sweep for the Dodgers, marking only their second series sweep against the Rays in franchise history and their first since August 2013. Relief pitcher Alex Vesia recorded his third save of the season by striking out Cedric Mullins with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to secure the win. Ohtani's earned run average rose to 1.47 after allowing seven earned runs combined over his last two outings against Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.