The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a dominant three-game sweep of the New York Mets with an 8-2 victory on Wednesday, powered by Shohei Ohtani’s exceptional pitching performance that included 10 strikeouts across six innings. The loss marked the eighth straight defeat for the struggling Mets.
Dalton Rushing delivered the game’s biggest blow with a grand slam, while Hyeseong Kim, Teoscar Hernandez, and Kyle Tucker also connected for home runs. The offensive explosion helped the Dodgers improve their record to 14-4 overall and an impressive 10-2 since April 3.
Ohtani earned his second win of the season (2-0) by allowing just one run on two hits and two walks. In an unusual move, the two-way star focused solely on pitching after taking a hit to his right shoulder during Monday’s game, marking the first time since May 2021 with the Angels that he pitched without also serving as a hitter.
The Mets managed only limited offensive production against Ohtani and the Dodgers’ pitching staff. Clay Holmes absorbed the loss (2-2) despite working five innings and surrendering two runs. MJ Melendez provided the brightest spot for New York with two doubles and an RBI, while top-of-the-order hitters Francisco Lindor, Luis Robert Jr., and Brett Baty each struggled, going hitless with multiple strikeouts.
Los Angeles opened the scoring in the second inning when Rushing doubled before Kim launched his first home run of the season, a shot that barely cleared the right field wall. Kim has seen increased playing time while Mookie Betts remains on the injured list.
New York finally broke through against Ohtani in the fifth inning after Francisco Alvarez and Marcus Semien drew walks. Melendez followed with an RBI ground-rule double that cut the lead to 2-1, ending Ohtani’s remarkable 16-inning streak without allowing an earned run to begin the season.
The Japanese star finished his outing in style, recording three consecutive strikeouts in the sixth inning.
Hernandez extended the Dodgers’ advantage with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth against Tobias Myers, his fourth of the season. Relievers Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott maintained the lead with scoreless innings before Los Angeles erupted for five runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by Rushing’s grand slam and Tucker’s solo shot.
The Mets added a consolation run in the ninth when Semien delivered an RBI single, but the damage was already done as they managed just three total runs across the entire three-game series.
