LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani pitched one hitless inning in his second mound start of the season before hitting a three-run triple and a two-run homer, and Max Muncy had a grand slam and a three-run homer in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 13-7 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
Ohtani recorded two strikeouts while throwing 18 pitches, allowing his only baserunner on an error when Mookie Betts dropped a popup in the sun. The two-way superstar is easing his way back onto the mound with short starts, and he was more effective against the Nats than in his season mound debut last Monday against San Diego. Ohtani’s fastball topped out at 98.8 mph after hitting 100 in his first outing, and he finished both of his strikeouts with breaking balls.
Ohtani is proceeding deliberately on his way back to longer weekly mound appearances, but the three-time MVP is encouraged by what he’s been able to do in two short starts.
“I do feel like I have to work on some things,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “But at the same time, I do feel like I can perform better, even better than I used to be able to perform at.”
Ohtani then had his most productive offensive game in some time, delivering two huge hits in the late innings.
He cleared the bases with a drive into the right field corner during the Dodgers’ seven-run seventh, and he added his 26th homer in the eighth to put LA up 13-3.
The Dodgers will be patient with Ohtani as he readjusts to two-way life while managing the demands of both jobs.
“I have not seen signs of fatigue,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that like all hitters, when you start chasing outside the strike zone, it’s hard to have consistent success. I don’t think that’s a fatigue thing, but we’ll manage it, and I think that I can only take him at his word, and the swing speed and stuff you track is still in line. Again, once we ramp up more, it might be a different conversation.”
Ohtani didn’t pitch at all last season while recovering from arm surgery during his first season with the Dodgers under a 10-year, $700 million contract. He won his third MVP award while becoming the first player in baseball history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season, and the Dodgers won his first World Series championship.
Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani could move out of his customary leadoff spot in the Dodgers’ lineup on the days when he pitches, particularly at home. While Ohtani has told Roberts he isn’t bothered by pitching the first inning and then going straight to the on-deck circle to be the Dodgers’ first batter in the bottom half, Roberts recognizes it’s not ideal.
“He’s said that he’s completely fine with hitting leadoff (and) doesn’t want to change,” Roberts said. “So I think that for now, we’ll stay status quo, but coming out of this one, you could say maybe it might make more sense to hit second or third or fourth.”
The defending World Series champions finished their 10-game homestand at 7-3, taking two of three from Washington.
The Dodgers trailed 3-0 in the sixth when Muncy delivered his seventh career grand slam — also his 200th homer. Muncy then hit a three-run shot off Cole Henry in the seventh for his 18th multi-homer game.
Nathaniel Lowe hit a three-run homer and Michael Soroka struck out a career-high 10 while pitching two-hit ball into the sixth inning for the Nats, who have lost six straight series while going 4-16 in June.
Ben Casparius (6-1) allowed three runs and five hits over five innings after coming on behind Ohtani.
Soroka retired 14 of the Dodgers’ first 15 batters, issuing just one walk until Hyeseong Kim roped a long double to left with two outs in the fifth.
The Dodgers finally responded in the sixth, chasing Soroka right before Muncy’s slam off José A. Ferrer (2-3).
Ferrer stopped the game with a 2-1 count on Muncy to complain about the mound conditions, compelling the grounds crew to come onto the field for significant work. Muncy blasted Ferrer’s second pitch after the delay deep into the left field bleachers.
Muncy tied his career high with seven RBIs. The slugger has done it three times, most recently May 31 against the Yankees.
Washington’s Mitchell Parker (4-8, 4.59 ERA) takes the mound Monday in San Diego. The Dodgers have a day off before a probable bullpen game at Colorado on Tuesday.
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