Steve Webb
Game 20, 4/16/2024: Dodgers 6, Nationals 2
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — Mookie Betts has had just about enough of this mediocrity. After his Dodgers lost four of five, Number 50 wasn’t about to let it happen again. Betts delivered a 5-for-5 night, and led the team to a 6-2 win over Patrick Corbin and the Washington Nationals.
It was a fresh look for the Dodgers in this one, with a bunch of seldom-seen faces in the starting lineup. Kiké Hernández at second. Miguel Rojas at third. Chris Taylor in the outfield. Kyle Hurt got his first big-league start and outfielder Andy Pages got his first taste of the Show with a start in center.
The Dodgers got on the board first in this one, loading up the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first. They scored a run on a double play ball, and never trailed for the rest of the night. In the bottom of the second, it was probably the highlight of young Andy Pages’s life so far, as he stepped in the box in his first big-league at-bat. And on the first pitch he saw from Corbin, he drilled a single over the first baseman’s head for his first knock in the MLB. Bienvenidos, Andy! After Miguel Rojas walked, Austin Barnes came through with an RBI single that scored Pages. First knock, first run scored. Pretty good day at the ballpark. After the real AB, Mookie was up again, and this time he totally drilled a pitch into the gap for his first of two doubles of the night. By the end of the inning the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, it was Ryan Yarbrough who was tasked with being the “bulk” guy, and other than a two-run shot given up to Jesse Winker in the third, he was pretty much perfect, retiring the last fourteen Nats he saw in order. A well-deserved W for Yarbrough.
While Shohei Ohtani got a couple of hits in this one, he still has not found his stroke with runners in scoring position, stranding guys on three different occasions. This will be something that we need to keep an eye on during the season. So far, not too impressive for the 700-million-dollar man.
Later in the night, Kiké Hernández went yard for a little insurance, but it was Mookie Betts who ruled the night. Two doubles, three singles, two runs batted in. With this night’s performance, he raised his average to .388 and his OPS to 1.190. That’ll play.
On Wednesday, it’s matinee baseball for the Dodgers (12-8) with a 12:10 PST first pitch. It’s going to be Landon Knack on the mound making his big league debut. The Nats will counter with righthander Jake Irvin. Here we go!
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