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Today β€” 4 April 2026Main stream

Ohtani, Tucker, Betts and Freeman all homer as the top of the Dodgers' order breaks out

WASHINGTON (AP) β€” The top of the Dodgers' batting order could only stay quiet for so long.

Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman β€” the first four hitters in the Los Angeles lineup β€” all homered Friday in a 13-6 win over the Washington Nationals. It was Tucker's first home run since joining the Dodgers. It was Ohtani's first RBI of the season.

β€œRome isn't burning,” manager Dave Roberts cracked.

There wasn't much panic from Roberts before the game, even with Ohtani (.167), Tucker (.174), Betts (.136) and Freeman (.208) all in a bit of a funk through the first six games of the season. Then the first six hitters went down in order before the Dodgers broke through in the third.

Ohtani's three-run shot to right tied the game at 3, and Betts connected for a two-run homer two batters later.

β€œIt's a new day. That's really it,” Betts said. β€œNobody in here is panicking or anything. One week, tough week. That probably is not going to be our last week that we don't hit well.”

Andy Pages hit a two-run homer in the fourth that made it 7-4, then Freeman added a two-run shot in the fifth. Tucker's solo homer in the seventh capped a three-hit day for the outfielder who signed a $240 million, four-year deal to go from the Chicago Cubs to the Dodgers.

β€œIt was nice. First homer β€” first actual ball I've hit in the air well, out in front and everything,” Tucker said. β€œYou can't complain when you hit a homer.”

The first four hitters for Los Angeles combined to go 8 for 21 with four homers, 10 RBIs and six runs. The Dodgers tagged Miles Mikolas for a career-high 11 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

β€œI think a little bit of it is we've had a lot of history with Mikolas,” Roberts said β€œWe've seen him, know some of his tendencies. Outside of that, they were just not missing today.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Yesterday β€” 3 April 2026Main stream

Shohei Ohtani hits a 3-run homer to drive in his 1st runs of the season

WASHINGTON (AP) β€” Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the third inning Friday for his first RBIs of the season.

The two-way star had been off to a slow start at the plate. Ohtani was just 3 for 19 after striking out to lead off the game, but with the Los Angeles Dodgers down 3-0 in the third at Washington, he hit a 401-foot drive to right to tie the game.

Mookie Betts, who at that point was 3 for 23 on the season, hit a two-run shot two batters later off Nationals starter Miles Mikolas.

The Dodgers entered the game with a 4-2 record despite their struggles at the top of the lineup. Ohtani, Kyle Tucker and Betts all entered the game batting under .200, and Freddie Freeman (.208) wasn't much better.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

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