Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
A matchup of aces in the series finale looked like it would live up to the billing early, but both the Dodgers and Rays had big innings in the middle of the game as they exchanged the lead a few times. Fortunately, the last blow came via a Freddie Freeman homer and the pen providing three scoreless in high leverage to complete the sweep in a 5-4 win.
======
Shane McClanahan cruised through a 1st, and got the first two outs of the 2nd before a rally via a Kyle Tucker single and Alex Call walk. The Dodgers looked like the might score first after a hard grounder up the middle from Dalton Rushing, but a diving stop by Richie Palacios robbed him of a hit and RBI.
A two-out walk in the 3rd was no issue, but the first run of the game scored in the 1st. After a lead-off walk from Mookie Betts, McClanahan got two outs on a strikeout and a diving play from Palacios again to rob Tucker that advanced Betts to second. That paid off soon with a Call single to make it 1-0 Dodgers.
Call then stole second, and Dalton Rushing worked the count to 3-2 but was punched out … until he made a late challenge that even he looked unsure of, yet it worked to end up for a walk.
That moved things along to Alex Freeland who took advantage with a a single to score Call to make it 2-0 Dodgers. After Tommy Edman followed with a walk of his own, that was it for McClanahan.
Alex² pic.twitter.com/6sMVU3iho6
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 17, 2026
Casey Legumina entered to put out the fire, and he managed to escape without further mess.
——
Shohei Ohtani looked like he might cruise through a nice bounce back outing early on as he started with a clean 1st that included a strikeout, then worked around a lead-off single in the 2nd, and a great catch in left by Alex Call helped prevent any damage in the 3rd after he subsequently hit a batter with two down and then gave up a single.
He came back with a quick 1-2-3 frame in the 4th with a pair of strikeouts, but he also ran into trouble in the 5th. A lead-off walk was followed by a double to put a pair in scoring position, then Taylor Walls hit a sac fly to score a run but also advanced a runner to third. A Yandy Diaz single on an 0-2 pitch plated another and all of a sudden it was a tied game at 2-2.
??? pic.twitter.com/CIZ3kUO5N0
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 17, 2026
And we're even! pic.twitter.com/5P55gyhhof
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 17, 2026
Another singled followed to put a pair on, and then on a grounder to Freddie Freeman went for an infield single when Ohtani didn’t make it over to cover to load the bases. Junior Caminero then grounded hard to third where Tommy Edman made a great stop and then Alex Freeland made a great pick to save multiple runs but one did score on the out.
No. 13 makes it 3 for the lead ? pic.twitter.com/zYyGYT8FhT
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 17, 2026
Richie Palacios then followed with another single to score another run before he was able to get out of the inning
We'll take the 4 for 4? pic.twitter.com/n5Biy5bnYS
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 17, 2026
Ohtani bounced back with a clean 6th, but obviously the damage was done (including to his finger): 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 91 Pitches.
——
Legumina continued for the Rays in the 6th, and the Dodgers rallied back with a Freddie Freeman walk, Mookie Betts single, and Miguel Rojas bloop single after two failed bunt attempt to load the bases.
Old friend Garrett Cleavinger entered and Tucker put together a stellar nine-pitch at-bat and drew a full-count walk to force a run in and make it 4-3 Dodgers.
Call followed with an infield pop, Rushing hit a shallow flyball, and Freeland struck out to strand that chance.
Fortunately, Kevin Kelly helped the Dodgers do things the easy way in the 6th, as after an Andy Pages double it was Freddie Freeman’s 12th homer of the year to give the Dodgers the lead back at 5-4.
Freddie flips the script! pic.twitter.com/ODCZShidAI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 17, 2026
Later in the inning, Shohei Ohtani pinch-hit for Miguel Rojas and grounded out to end the frame, so the Dodgers were without their DH.
Kelly continued in the 7th, getting two outs but allowing a double and walking a guy before giving way to Cole Sulser, who got the pinch-hitting Max Muncy to pop-out and end that threat. Sulser then closed the book on the offense with a clean 9th.
——
Now trying to protect a slim lead, Edgardo Henriquez allowed an infield single in the 7th but faced the minimum thanks to a double play. He continued in the 8th, getting the first out before giving way to Jack Dreyer, who got the final two to get the game to the 9th.
Alex Vesia entered in the 9th for the save with Tanner Scott down, and got into early trouble with a lead-off walk and stolen base, but a shallow flyout and an infield pop put him on the verge. Dave Roberts then elected to intentionally walk Yandy Diaz for a handedness matchup, but Vesia walked Jonathan Aranda to load things up before getting a dramatic save on a full-count strikeout of Cedric Mullins for the win.
Alex Vesia walked the bases loaded for dramatic flair before getting a strike out for the save on a 3-2 count. pic.twitter.com/ZwrKjsB7c6
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) June 17, 2026
======
48-27, and that’s now three in a row, obviously.
The Dodgers will remain at home but have a day off tomorrow before welcoming in the Orioles for a three-game series that’ll start at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET. It’ll be Roki Sasaki looking to bounce back from one of his worst starts of the season against Trey Gibson.
