MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mookie Betts backed Shohei Ohtani with his 300th career home run, three hits and slick defense as the Los Angeles Dodgers finished a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday night.
Ohtani helped himself with an RBI single to spark a three-run third inning against Twins starter Joe Ryan after the two-way superstar fell behind with a three-run second.
Max Muncy and Alex Call drove in the tying and go-ahead
runs off Ryan for the MLB-leading Dodgers, and Tanner Scott pitched the ninth inning for his 11th save.
Betts, who won six Gold Glove awards as a right fielder before becoming the regular shortstop, snagged a grounder up the middle and fired an off-balance, on-target throw to first base to retire Ryan Kreidler and end the fourth with runners at second and third. Betts later made a sliding stop of a ground ball by Royce Lewis to get the last out of the sixth inning.
With the sensational Ohtani (8-2) on the mound and the Twins countering with their ace Ryan (5-4), Target Field was filled for an announced crowd of 39,853 and the first sellout of the season.
Ohtani finished six innings with five hits and three walks allowed and eight strikeouts. Though this was his third straight start giving up with three or more runs, after yielding two or fewer in each of his first 10 turns, Ohtani dug in after the 3-1 deficit. He struck out the side in the third and retired his last seven batters.
Dodgers: Starts a three-game series Friday at San Diego. RHP Roki Sasaki pitches for the Dodgers and RHP Randy Vásquez starts for the Padres.
Twins: Stay home for a three-game series beginning Friday against Colorado. RHP Taj Bradley pitches for Minnesota against RHP Tomoyuki Sugano.
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