The Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up their first road trip of the regular season with a 3-3 record after falling to the Minnesota Twins in the series finale at Target Field.
The Dodgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Teoscar Hernández doubled home Mookie Betts, who opened the game with a single.
The Twins wasted no time evening up the score as Edouard Julien led off the bottom half of the frame with a solo home run. The 24-year-old added a second home run in the fifth inning, which gave Minnesota a decided 3-2 lead.
The Dodgers had an opportunity to tie the game in the seventh when Shohei Ohtani tried to score from first base on a double by Freddie Freeman. However, the two-way superstar was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay by Alex Kirilloff and Carlos Correa. He initially was called safe but the Twins successfully challenged the play.
Freeman believes Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel made the right call sending Ohtani and credited the Twins for making a great play, via David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports:
“There is only one person that would be able to score on that- it’s Shohei, obviously it’s a great situation to force the issue…We forced them to make a great play and they did.”
Ebel also commended the Twins for making a perfect throw to nab Ohtani at the plate, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“That’s as clean as it gets,” said Ebel, the Dodgers’ third-base coach. “They made a perfect throw.”
After the Twins threw out Ohtani to end the seventh, the Dodgers bats went down quietly in the eighth inning. The team had one more opportunity to tie the game in the ninth, but Austin Barnes and Mookie Betts were unable to drive in Gavin Lux after he hit a one-out single.
Dodgers return to Dodger Stadium
With their first road trip of the season now complete, the Dodgers are back at home where they will host the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning on Friday.
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