Shohei Ohtani hit his fourth home run in three games as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 6-3 in Walker Buehler’s first start in nearly two years. Ohtani’s homer tied the score in the first inning, and Freddie Freeman followed with a solo shot to give the Dodgers the lead. The Dodgers also got home runs from James Outman and Teoscar Hernández, winning their fourth straight game. Nick Gordon homered for the Marlins, who lost for the third time in four games on their West Coast trip.
Buehler went four innings in his first major league start since 2022, allowing three runs and six hits. Ryan Yarbrough and Alex Vesia pitched in relief for the Dodgers, with Vesia earning his first save. Buehler showed some early nerves, allowing two runs in the first inning, but settled down to get the win. Gavin Lux and Outman hit back-to-back homers in the second inning to give the Dodgers the lead. Hernández added a solo shot in the third inning, marking the second time in three games the Dodgers hit at least four home runs.
Rodder Muñoz pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Marlins, giving up six runs on seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Marlins manager Skip Schumacher acknowledged that the Dodgers’ offense is potent and that giving them free passes would lead to trouble. The Marlins activated Jake Burger from the injured list, but he went 0-for-4 in the game. Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly was placed on the injured list with a shoulder strain, while outfielder Jason Heyward is working towards a rehab assignment after dealing with back tightness.
Overall, the Dodgers’ ability to hit home runs and their strong pitching performance led to their victory over the Marlins. The Marlins struggled to contain the Dodgers’ offense, especially with Ohtani hitting his fourth homer in three games. Buehler’s return to the mound after a long time away was a positive sign for the Dodgers, as he showed flashes of his All-Star form. The Marlins will need to regroup and make adjustments to bounce back in the next game of the series.
In the next game, Miami’s Edward Cabrera will face off against Los Angeles’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It will be interesting to see how both pitchers perform and how the offenses respond in the second game of the series. The Dodgers will look to continue their winning streak and build momentum, while the Marlins will aim to turn things around and even the series. As the season progresses, both teams will be looking to position themselves for success in the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball.
