Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff home run in the sixth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers prevailed in a pitchers’ duel, earning a 1-0 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.
Justin Wrobleski (8-2) gave up just three singles over six scoreless innings as the Dodgers improved to 11-2 at home since May 13. The left-hander struck out five without issuing a walk.
Freddie Freeman had a pair of hits in a game that ended in a tidy 1 hour, 52 minutes.
Will Klein, Kyle Hurt and Tanner Scott finished off the shutout for the Dodgers with a scoreless inning each. Scott earned his ninth save with an 11-pitch ninth inning.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (6-3) continued his recent run of solid pitching by allowing one run over seven innings, but the Ohtani homer proved costly. It was the only run Rasmussen has allowed in 21 innings over his past three starts. He permitted six hits and no walks while fanning seven.
The Tampa Bay offense was held to three hits, one each from Taylor Walls, Austin Slater and Yandy Diaz.
The Dodgers had their chances early, getting back-to-back one-out singles in the first inning from Andy Pages and Freeman before Mookie Betts grounded into a double play. The hosts had runners on first and third with one out in the second, but Kyle Tucker was thrown out at home plate on a bunt from Alex Freeland, and Chuckie Robinson grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Rasmussen was on a run of 11 consecutive outs when he faced Ohtani to open the bottom of the sixth. Ohtani sent a first-pitch cutter 427 feet to center field for his 15th homer of the year and fourth over his past six games.
Ohtani, who led all major-leaguers when All-Star Game balloting was released for the first time this week, is set to pitch in the finale of the three-game series on Wednesday. The Dodgers logged one-run wins in each of the set’s first two games.
