by Megan Garcia
Mookie Betts pounded his chest. The sunflower seeds showered over him. The crowd at Angel Stadium continued to roar for the resounding three-run home run.
The Angels decided to intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani — in his regular season return to Anaheim — to face Betts with two outs in the tenth with the Dodgers leading by one run. Betts made them pay for it.
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Betts launched a first-pitch slider from reliever Roansy Contreras to left-center field. It powered the Dodgers over the Angels in a 6–2 win in Anaheim on Tuesday in extra innings.
“Obviously as the opposing manager, there’s no right or wrong decision,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Pick your poison. That’s the great thing about having great players — because from my chair — there’s always a good option.”
The Dodgers entered the 10th inning tied 2–2. Miguel Rojas broke the tie with a single off the first pitch from Contreras. Kevin Kiermaier replaced him at first base as a pinch-runner. Then, Ohtani was intentionally walked with two outs — setting the scene for Betts’ 15th homer.
“You have to find ways to create (momentum),” Betts said.
Betts went 2-for-5 with four RBI in the series opener of the freeway series. He also drove in the go-ahead run in the third inning to put the Dodgers ahead 2–1.
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“I don’t think we went down for five innings,” Roberts said. “I thought (Reid) Detmers threw the ball well. We had a lefty on the ropes, he got out of it. But it was good for us to persevere and win a ballgame.”
Ohtani Returns to Anaheim
Exactly one year since he last donned an Angels uniform, Ohtani made his regular season return to Angel Stadium.
Ohtani was welcomed with a standing ovation and ‘MVP’ chants from the Angel Stadium crowd mixed with Angel and Dodger fans. He went 1-for-4 on Monday with two runs scored.
“I’m appreciative of all the fans,” Ohtani said. “It makes a difference that they’re out here.”
Ohtani inched his way closer to his second 100-RBI season when he drove in Rojas with a triple in the third for his 99th RBI. It evened the game at 1–1 before Betts’ go-ahead single plated Ohtani to give the Dodgers a 2–1 lead.
Buehler Continues to Improve
Tuesday was Buehler’s longest outing since returning from the injured list in mid-August. The righty tossed five innings against the Angels, giving up two earned runs on five hits (two home runs) with six strikeouts and two walks.
“I’m starting to get some punch outs and all of that kind of stuff, I think for me it’s all these little boxes checked,” Buehler said of his pitching line. “I feel like myself. I feel like I can go out and throw the ball well. Tonight was my best game ever, but for right now, I’m pretty happy about it and confident.”
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This was Buehler’s third start of the season with two earned runs or less. It also marks the second-most strikeouts he’s recorded in a start in 2024, behind his seven strikeouts on May 31 against Colorado.
Buehler retired six of the following seven batters he faced after Brandon Drury’s single in the second. He left the game with a no-decision after Taylor Ward tied the game at 2–2 with a solo home run in the fifth inning.
Where They Stand
The Dodgers (84–55) extended their lead in the National League West to 5 ½ games over the Padres. Bobby Miller (2–3, 7.25 ERA) will take the mound in the series finale of the freeway series on Wednesday.
Mookie Betts pays off intentional walk with a homer in Dodgers win was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.