Cody Snavely
Game 13, 4/8/2024: Dodgers 4, Twins 2
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. — The Los Angeles Dodgers continue their six-game road trip, stopping in Minnesota to take on the Twins in an interleague matchup.
Coming off their first series loss of 2024, the Dodgers are eager to bounce back and conclude their road trip on a high note. They entrust their hopes to left-handed pitcher James Paxton, who is set to make his second start of the season.
Opposing Paxton for the Twins is Bailey Ober, who had a standout season last year, posting a 3.43 ERA in 144.1 innings. However, his performance was marred by a game against the Kansas City Royals, where he was tagged for eight runs in 1.1 innings and three home runs.
The Dodgers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Mookie Betts drawing a leadoff walk and Shohei Ohtani following up with a 110 MPH double. Ohtani, who has been on a hot streak, is currently hitting .471 with a 1.559 OPS in his last four games.
Freeman would kick off the scoring for the Dodgers, hitting a deep flyball to Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, scoring Betts on a sac fly. However, one is all they would get after Ober struck out Will Smith and Max Muncy hit a weak flyball to right fielder Manuel Margot.
Manuel Margot started the Twins’ half-inning with a leadoff knock, sharing some smiles with former teammate Freddie Freeman at first base. However, Paxton settled in, getting two flyouts and striking out Byron Buxton to end the frame.
Both pitchers would settle in until the bottom of the third inning when, after a one-out walk, James Paxton would give up a home run to former Dodger Manuel Margot, continuing the revenge games by former Dodgers players on this road trip, having seven total RBIs in total between Cody Bellinger, Michael Busch, and Margot.
On the defensive side, after Freeman’s leadoff single, a line drive was caught by former Dodger Kyle Farmer, who reacted quickly to double up Freeman. Now, on both sides of the ball, former Dodgers returned to haunt the team.
The Twins decided at 68 pitches that right-handed Ober was done, and Ohatni greeted the fresh arm from the pen with a leadoff double in the top of the 6th. Freeman would follow with a single, leaving runners at the corner for Will Smith to come through, tying the game with a soft single to right field.
However, with runners at first and second, Teoscar Hernández smashed a ball that was tracked down on a fantastic catch by former top prospect and 2022 AL All-Star Bryon Buxton, keeping the game tied.
As the game entered the seventh inning, the dreaded rain showers continued to follow the Dodgers, and now the team will have to battle the elements yet again this season.
But it was James Outman who brought the rain. He broke up the tie with a no-doubt blast into the right field bleachers for his first home run of 2024, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. But the “SHO” goes on as Ohtani adds to the home run party with an opposite-field shot of his own.
Ohtani continues his hot road trip, going 10 for his past 20 with four doubles, one triple, and two home runs.
Paxton’s day was over after six innings. He gave up two runs and struck out four batters, bringing his season ERA to 1.64. The Dodgers bullpen would go to work in the seventh, looking to preserve a Dodgers win.
They would do just that as the Dodgers would win this game 4-2 and move to 9-4 in the year with Tyler Glasnow on the mound, hopefully making it win number ten.
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