NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 29: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts ater hitting a two-run home run against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Citi Field on May 29, 2024 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani homered and drove in three runs, Will Smith went deep twice and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the frustrated New York Mets with a 10-3 victory on Wednesday.
Smith's second homer was a tiebreaking solo shot off Adam Ottavino (1-2) to start a six-run eighth inning capped by Ohtani's two-run drive. Miguel Vargas blooped a two-run double, and Miguel Rojas bounced an RBI single over a drawn-in infield during the latest meltdown by a dreadful Mets bullpen.
Jason Heyward had a pinch-hit triple in the eighth and added a solo homer in the ninth. Rojas matched a career-high with four of Los Angeles' 16 hits.
Ohtani also had an RBI single. He began the day in a 7-for-37 (.189) slide since his previous home run on May 17 against Cincinnati.
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Ohtani's 14th homer of the season came off reliever Jorge López, who was ejected moments later for shouting at third base umpire Ramon De Jesus over an appeal ruling on Freddie Freeman's checked swing.
New York (22-33) has lost 10 of 12 and 15 of 19.
Smith also doubled and scored three times as the NL West leaders took all three games at Citi Field after arriving on a five-game losing streak. The All-Star catcher has three homers in the last two games — he connected in the nightcap of Tuesday's doubleheader sweep.
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Blake Treinen (2-0) worked a scoreless seventh for the win.
Los Angeles built a 3-0 lead on Smith's first homer and RBI singles by Andy Pages and Ohtani. Smith doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Pages' base hit.
But unbeaten starter James Paxton was pulled after throwing 50 pitches in three shutout innings, and New York tied it in the fifth. No. 9 batter Tomás Nido launched a two-run homer off Elieser Hernández, who walked Francisco Lindor before he scored on J.D. Martinez's double against Michael Grove.
A spokesperson for the Dodgers said there was nothing physically wrong with Paxton, often derailed by injuries throughout his 11-year career.
Mets starter David Peterson allowed three runs — two earned — and seven hits over five innings in his season debut following left hip surgery. Peterson cost himself with an errant pickoff attempt prior to Ohtani's run-scoring single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Los Angeles closer Evan Phillips (right hamstring) retired both batters he faced Tuesday in a rehab outing for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. He is expected to come off the injured list Friday. ... Max Muncy's recovery from a right oblique strain will be slow, manager Dave Roberts said. The infielder was placed on the injured list on May 17.
Mets: Struggling closer Edwin Díaz was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. ... 1B Pete Alonso exited in the first inning after getting hit on the right hand by a 93 mph fastball from Paxton. The Mets said Alonso would undergo imaging. ... C Francisco Alvarez (left thumb surgery) begins a rehab assignment Thursday with Double-A Binghamton.
UP NEXT
Dodgers: Following an off day, RHP Walker Buehler (1-2, 4.26 ERA) starts Friday night at home against last-place Colorado in the opener of a three-game series.
Mets: Rookie RHP Christian Scott (0-2, 3.97 ERA) makes his fifth major league start Thursday night versus Arizona in the opener of a four-game set. On the mound for the defending NL champions is RHP Zac Gallen (5-4, 3.12), who finished third in Cy Young Award voting last year.
