The Dodgers (52-31) and Royals (38-44) fought back-and-forth in the series opener Friday night at Kauffman Stadium, but Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers were able to pick up the 5-4 win.
Neither Dustin May nor Kansas City rookie left-hander Noah Cameron were involved in the decision after each going four innings and making exactly 84 pitches.
All-Star Shohei Ohtani continued his slugging surge with his NL-leading 29th home run and his fourth homer in his last five games. Max Muncy also hit a big home run out of the eight spot, and Freeman literally saved the game with his glove in the bottom of the ninth.
Ohtani made a big splash to start the series with a two-strike leadoff home run off a Cameroon changeup into the center field fountains 429 feet away.
A Royal Rally
Kansas City came right back to tie it in the first to snap their scoreless drought. Dustin May’s sweeper wasn’t sharp to start the game, and he labored through 30 pitches in the first inning. May allowed three straight two-out base runners, but KC was only able to get one run off a Salvador Perez RBI single.
Bat Drops and Big Flies
Max Muncy took Cameron deep for a two-run home run out of the eighth spot in the lineup in the top of the second to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead.
Royal Rally Resumes
May continued to struggle with his command in the second inning, and Teoscar Hernández misplayed a ball in right field that proved costly. The poor pitching and defense led to a go-ahead Bobby Witt Jr. two-run homer to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.
The Dodgers got Hernandez to third base with two outs in the third for slumping Freddie Freeman who struck out for the second time against Cameron.
America’s Catcher Will Smith casually threw out Freddy Fermin at second base with one out in the bottom of the fourth which proved key. Kyle Isbel doubled for the second time in the game against May, but the Royals had nothing to cash in after Smith wiped the bases clean with his arm.
Kauffman Stadium Can’t Contain Ohtani
Ohtani’s RBI triple to the gap in the fifth tied the game at four runs apiece and chased the rookie southpaw Cameron from the game.
Mookie Betts jumped on the first pitch he saw from Kansas City reliever Steven Cruz to drive in Ohtani for the lead.
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