CHAVEZ RAVINE — There’s nothing like coming home after a rough road trip, and Dustin May reminded Dodgers fans why hope still springs from his surgically repaired right arm.
On Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, May turned in one of his best outings of the season, efficiently shutting down the White Sox over seven plus innings and striking out nine in a 6–2 Dodgers win. It was a night-and-day performance compared to his last start in Kansas City, where he was chased early and struggled with command. This time, May commanded the zone, mixed pitches, and showed why the Dodgers are still betting big on him.
A Much-Needed Turnaround
May’s final line—7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K on just 86 pitches—only tells part of the story. Through five innings, he was flirting with perfection before a single by Brooks Baldwin broke it up in the sixth. Even then, May didn’t blink. He finished his outing on a sour note, storming off the mound after Brooks Baldwin broke up the shutout with a two-run jack. He might have left angry, but he’s got plenty to be proud of in this one.
Freeman Keeps the Fire Burning
Offensively, the Dodgers didn’t waste time. Freddie Freeman picked up right where he left off after Wednesday’s walk-off heroics, smoking a pair of RBI doubles—one in the first and a two-run shot in the third that set the tone early. Freeman finished 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, continuing a hot stretch that couldn’t come at a better time with Max Muncy now sidelined.
Freeman’s first-inning double scored Shohei Ohtani (who walked twice and scored two runs), and his two-run double in the third brought in both Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
Conforto, Betts Add the Power
Michael Conforto, who’s slowly been heating up after a rough start to the season, delivered a big two-out homer in the third—his seventh of the year—that pushed the lead to 5–0. The blast was a no-doubter into the right-field pavilion, a much-needed sign that his swing might be coming around.
Betts added insurance in the seventh with a solo homer of his own, his tenth of the season. While his overall numbers aren’t at MVP level this year, he continues to find ways to contribute in big spots.
Defensive Highlights and Milestones
Teoscar Hernández notched his 1,000th career hit in the fifth inning, a sharp single to left. He also made a leaping grab in right field earlier in the game, though he was later charged with a fielding error that didn’t come back to haunt the Dodgers.
Freeman flashed the leather as well, diving for a liner in the sixth and making a tough grab that had the crowd on its feet.
Bullpen Seals It
After May exited, Scott and Kirby Yates locked things down. Scott pitched a slightly shaky but scoreless eighth, and Yates came in and shut the door with two strikeouts in a clean ninth. The Dodgers’ bullpen continues to find consistency as the All-Star break approaches.
Looking Ahead
With the win, the Dodgers improve to 56–32 and maintain their lead in the NL West. The series against the White Sox is now in the rearview, and guess who’s coming to town: the Houston Astros*. Heard of them before? Though the ghosts of 2017 are still around, it’s a whole new team down there in southeast Texas. The Dodgers will throw Ben Casparius on Friday against the struggling Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3, 6.61 ERA, 40 SO) First pitch is 6:10 for the holiday game to allow for the fireworks or drones or whatever they’re doing tomorrow. The ravine should be rocking. Let’s do this…
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