Sunday, May 5, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers proved they were better than the Atlanta Braves, that most “experts” think the Braves are the best team in the National League. The Dodgers completed their sweep of the Braves 5-to-1.
For the first time as a Dodger, James Paxton could command all his pitches. Shohei Ohtani had four hits, including two home runs, and Teoscar Hernández homered.
At no time in the game, the Braves had any chance to win. The Dodgers played their best defense of the entire year.
James Paxton struck out two before walking Austin Riley in the first but retired Matt Olsen.
Mookie Betts walked in the first inning Shohei Ohtani blasted a two-run homer to give him the team lead. Freddie Freeman was hit by a pitch but was erased on a force play, and then Kiké Hernández hit into a double play.
K. Hernández made a spectacular defensive play at third to start the second. Paxton retired the Braves in order in the second with a lot of help from the infielders.
The Dodgers were retired in order in the second. Max Fried looked like he found his stride.
Paxton faced the minimum in the third thanks to a fabulous double play by Betts, Miguel Rojas, and Freeman.
While Ohtani singled to the opposite field, the rest of the lineup was baffled by Fried in the third.
In the fourth, Paxton quickly retired the Braves.
Fried retired the Dodgers in order in the fourth thanks to Austin Riley’s magnificent play at third.
Thanks to Pages who caught all three fly balls, Paxton had a perfect fifth inning.
Fried walked Austin Barnes with two outs in the fifth, but Betts grounded out to end the inning.
With one out in the sixth, Paxton walked Ronald Acuña, Jr, but he was stranded. Unlike in his previous starts, Paxton had good command of his fastball on Sunday.
To open the sixth, Ohtani singled but was forced by Freeman. Teoscar Hernández blasted a two-run homer.
T. Hernández threw out Olsen trying to stretch a single into double before Paxton gave up a solo home run to Marcell Ozuna. With two outs in the seventh, Joe Kelly relieved Paxton and struck out the last hitter of the inning.
Barnes walked with two outs in the seventh inning but Betts grounded out.
Blake Treinen made his 2024 debut in the eighth inning and struck out the first batter to face him. He induced Acuña to ground out and got a fly out. He looked like his old self.
To open the eighth, Ohtani socked a 464-foot home run for his tenth of the year, his fourth hit on Sunday. T. Hernández reached on a first baseman’s error but didn’t score or advance.
Michael Grove breezed through the ninth to preserve the win
