Dodgers Highlights: LA Bullpen Outduels Shohei Ohtani, Freeman and Vargas Homer to Sweep Angels
It was another pitcher’s duel at Angel Stadium on Wednesday, as Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani went toe to toe with … the Dodgers bullpen.
Ohtani, who pitched seven innings of one-run baseball, was outmatched by LA’s relievers, who pitched nine innings of scoreless baseball in the Dodgers’ 2-0 win. I bet no one had that on their bingo card entering Wednesday’s game.
Let’s get into the highlights of this one.
Brusdar Graterol opened the Dodgers in the bullpen game, and was electric. He threw two hitless innings, and got the bullpen game off to a great start.
Victor Gonzalez pitched the third inning and got into instant trouble with a leadoff double. However, with one out and the runner on third, Mickey Moniak flied out to left field. David Peralta made the running catch and fired a perfect throw home. Will Smith made the quick tag, and the Angels were stuck at 0.
Great throw by David Peralta and sweep tag by Will Smith. Second night in a row that the Dodgers have gotten a big out at the plate.
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) June 22, 2023
pic.twitter.com/TfX3M7No5v
The Dodgers defense has been incredible this series.
Yesterday Will Smith made an incredible diving tag at home to keep the Angels at 0.
Today David Peralta just threw an absolute dot into Smith's glove, who made a great tag on Rengifo just before tagging home. It's still 0-0.— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 22, 2023
Then, in the top of the fourth inning, after the Dodger bats had been silent off of Ohtani, they finally came alive.
Orange County native Freddie Freeman opened the inning with a 426-foot home run to center field, and just like that, the Dodgers led 1-0.
Welcome to the Freddie Freeman Sho. pic.twitter.com/4R28qmcGTg
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 22, 2023
Freddie Freeman just took his future teammate, Shohei Ohtani, deep to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 22, 2023
Gonzalez got one batter out in the fourth, before giving it off to Yency Almonte, who pitched a scoreless rest of the fourth inning and two outs of the fifth. Then it was up to Alex Vesia to finish the fifth, and he did.
Vesia then retired Ohtani and Mike Trout to open the sixth inning, before Ryan Brasier made his Dodgers debut, and retired Brandon Drury to end the inning. Still 1-0, Dodgers.
Ohtani pitched a scoreless seventh, finishing an incredible start with 12 strikeouts and just one earned run. Then, Brasier pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, meaning the Dodgers bullpen went toe to toe with Ohtani, and put him in line for the loss.
Shohei Ohtani's final line against the Dodgers:
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 22, 2023
7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K
The Dodgers bullpen through those same seven innings:
7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
LA's bullpen just went toe to toe with Ohtani, who leaves in line for the loss. What an incredible pitching display.
The eighth inning was Caleb Fergson’s for a second consecutive night, and he kept the Angels at 0.
Then, in the top of the ninth inning, the Dodgers got some insurance thanks to Miguel Vargas, who broke out of an 0-for-24 slump with a solo home run over the outstretched reach of a leaping Mike Trout.
Miggy homer? Loup, there it is. pic.twitter.com/KAC673hBNV
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 22, 2023
Miguel Vargas was 0 for his last 24 at the plate.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 22, 2023
So he decided it was finally time to end that slump with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Angels.
The Dodgers get a huge insurance run and lead 2-0.
Evan Phillips pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth, closing out the 2-0 win and second consecutive shutout. What an impressive series for LA, especially on the pitching side of things.
Up Next
The Dodgers have a day off on Thursday — their second of the week — before welcoming the Houston Astros into town for a three-game series on Friday.
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