Hernández, Ohtani homer as the Dodgers beat the Phillies 5-3 in opener between NL division leaders
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teoscar Hernández hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the third inning, Shohei Ohtani went deep in the eighth and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Monday night in a matchup of NL division leaders.
Tyler Glasnow (9-6) struck out nine and gave up three runs and four hits in six innings. The right-hander has notched a career-high 164 strikeouts on the season.
Glasnow retired the side in order four times, including getting Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper on swinging strikeouts in the first.
“I felt a little out of whack,” Glasnow said. “The positive today for me was just ignore how I feel and just go and try and attack the zone.”
Harper struck out three times in all as the NL East-leading Phillies lost for the seventh time in eight games after taking a 2-0 lead with two outs in the second. Bryson Stott had a RBI infield single and then scored on a wild pitch by Glasnow.
Freddie Freeman returned to the Dodgers’ lineup after missing eight games while tending to his ailing 3-year-old son. He was 1 for 4 and received a standing ovation before his first at-bat. Harper later greeted Freeman with a hug at first base.
“It was really cool to see people rally around Freddie and the Freeman family,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Ohtani added, “It was very touching.”
The NL West-leading Dodgers rallied with four runs in the third. Andy Pages hit an RBI double in the left field corner and Ohtani tied it 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right for his 80th RBI of the season. Hernández followed with his 24th homer to left for a 4-2 lead off Aaron Nola (11-5).
Daniel Hudson pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his eighth save.
After Schwarber singled, Glasnow wasn’t able to put Harper away with two strikes in the sixth, and he doubled down the left field line. Schwarber scored on Alec Bohm’s RBI groundout, drawing the Phillies to 4-3.
Dodgers reliever Anthony Banda pitched a scoreless eighth, stranding Schwarber and Bohm.
Ohtani’s 34th homer extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-3 leading off the bottom of the eighth. Center fielder Brandon Marsh made a futile leap at the wall as Ohtani circled back to first, apparently to make sure he had touched the base before completing his home run trot.
“Just be able to give breathing room at the end of the game is really key for winning,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
The Dodgers ended a four-game skid against the Phillies, which was their longest active such streak against any opponent. They were swept in three games in Philadelphia last month, with Nola winning one of the games.
“He just made more mistakes than he did in Philly,” Roberts said.
Will Smith and Kiké Hernández were the only Dodgers without a hit.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: C Garrett Stubbs fouled a ball off his right shin in the fifth, but stayed in the game.
Dodgers: RHP Brusdar Graterol (right shoulder inflammation) was activated from the 60-day IL. … RHP Blake Treinen (left hip discomfort) went on the IL. … RHP Walker Buehler (hip) threw a bullpen session and will pitch for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday before rejoining the team.
UP NEXT
Phillies: LHP Cristopher Sánchez (7-7, 3.36 ERA) seeks his second career win against the Dodgers.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 5.87) makes his third start of the season after lasting just 3 2/3 innings against San Diego last week. He’s 4-6 with a 2.76 ERA in 17 career starts against the Phillies.
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