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Jun 17, 20261
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Freeman's Two-Run Homer Lifts Dodgers Past Rays as Ohtani Battles Injuries
Freddie Freeman's two-run home run in the sixth inning lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, salvaging a performance by an injured Shohei Ohtani. The win completed a three-game sweep, the Dodgers' first against Tampa Bay since 2013.
Quick Facts
Who
Freddie Freeman
What
Freeman hit a two-run home run
When
Wednesday
Where
Los Angeles
- Freeman hit a two-run home run
- Rays scored four runs in the fifth inning
- Ohtani pitched six innings allowing four runs
- Ohtani made a pinch-hitting appearance and grounded out
- Vesia struck out Mullins with bases loaded for save
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.
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Why This Matters
Freeman's clutch two-run homer demonstrates the Dodgers' offensive resilience despite key injuries affecting their star pitcher Ohtani. The series sweep strengthens their playoff positioning and shows depth across the roster. For fantasy baseball players and Dodgers fans, monitoring Ohtani's injury status—particularly the reopened blister and unresolved knee inflammation—is critical for lineup decisions and season projections.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 17, 2026
WireDodgers play Rays in baseball game