The Los Angeles Dodgers picked up a solid win over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, coming out on top 9-5 at Dodger Stadium. The spotlight was once again on Shohei Ohtani , who launched his major league-leading 20th home run of the season.
Ohtani Hits 20th Home Run, Ties MLB Record
In the fourth inning, Ohtani connected on a cutter from Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee and sent it soaring into the left-field stands, giving the Dodgers an early 4-0 lead. It marked his second 20-homer season in MLB and made him just the third player in Dodgers history to reach 20 homers within the team’s first 55 games — joining Gil Hodges (1951) and Cody Bellinger (2019) .
This also marked the 10th time since 2018 that Ohtani has homered in three straight games — a testament to his consistency and power this season.
Key Moments: Muncy and Conforto Add Long Balls
Ohtani wasn’t the only one swinging for the fences.
Michael Conforto got the scoring started with a solo shot in the second.
Max Muncy provided some late-game fireworks, launching a dramatic three-run homer off reliever Nic Enright in the ninth to extend the lead to 9-3.
Muncy’s blast came at a perfect moment, helping put the game out of reach and giving the fans something to cheer about.
Pitching Performances: May Shines, Guardians Struggle Late
On the mound, Dustin May continued his strong return to form. He struck out a season-high nine batters over five innings while allowing just three runs . His fastball-slider combo looked sharp, and he kept Cleveland’s lineup guessing all night.
For the Guardians, things unraveled after the fifth inning. Their bullpen gave up six runs in the final four frames, including Muncy’s big fly.
Guardians’ Bright Spot: Schneemann and Ramírez
Despite the loss, Cleveland had its moments:
Daniel Schneemann crushed a three-run homer in the fourth to cut the deficit.
José Ramírez extended his hitting streak to 20 games , the longest active streak in the majors, with a single in the same inning.
Ramírez continues to be a rock for the Guardians, but the offense couldn’t keep pace with L.A.’s firepower.
Inspirational Storyline: Nic Enright’s Return
One of the more emotional subplots of the night involved Nic Enright , who allowed Muncy’s three-run homer in the ninth. Enright, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022 , made just his second MLB appearance after being called up last Saturday.
His presence on the mound was a powerful reminder of perseverance in sports.
Key Stat: Ohtani Continues Historic Season
With his 20th home run, Ohtani now leads the majors in round-trippers and is well on his way to another MVP-caliber campaign. This milestone comes in just 55 games , showing how dominant he’s been both as a hitter and a runner this year.
What’s Next?
The teams will meet again Wednesday night for the second game of the series.
- Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the Dodgers, looking to stabilize his shaky start to the season (7.50 ERA).
- Slade Cecconi was originally scheduled to pitch for Cleveland but has been pushed back due to right groin tightness .
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