Logan O’Hoppe’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Los Angeles Angels to a 6–5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium, completing a season sweep in the Freeway Series. The Dodgers entered the matchup as -160 favorites but dropped their fourth straight game, falling into second place in the National League West behind the surging San Diego Padres.
Shohei Ohtani, facing his former team on the mound for the first time, delivered his longest outing of the season, working 4 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on five hits. The right-hander struck out seven, including Mike Trout twice, and walked two. Ohtani tripled and scored in the first inning at the plate but struck out in his final three at-bats. Over his past 8 1/3 innings pitched, he has recorded 15 strikeouts.
The Dodgers got production from Will Smith, who hit a two-run homer in the third inning, and Mookie Betts, who drove in two runs with singles in the first and fifth. Taylor Ward countered for the Angels with a solo home run in the second, and rookie Bryce Teodosio provided one of the game’s key defensive plays in the fourth, leaping at the right-center wall to rob Andy Pages of a home run.
Ohtani, making his first start at Angel Stadium since August 2023, exited with a 5–4 lead after giving up a run in the fifth. The Dodgers’ bullpen, already depleted by injuries to five high-leverage relievers, held the slim advantage until the eighth inning.
In the decisive frame, the Angels loaded the bases against Justin Wrobleski and Edgardo Henriquez. O’Hoppe then drove a single into left field, bringing home the tying and go-ahead runs. Brock Burke worked a scoreless eighth to earn the win and improve to 6–1, while Kenley Jansen handled the ninth for his 23rd save of the year.
The victory capped a dominant showing by the Angels in the rivalry. They swept both three-game sets against the Dodgers this season. The seven straight wins over their crosstown opponents mark a franchise record, despite the Angels sitting below .500 overall.
The Dodgers, now tied for second place in the National League West with the Padres holding the tiebreaker, have seen their division lead vanish after a rough stretch following the All-Star break. San Diego, winners of four straight, will travel to Dodger Stadium for a pivotal weekend series that could further impact the standings.
Clayton Kershaw (6–2, 3.14 ERA) is expected to start Friday’s opener for Los Angeles. The Angels, meanwhile, will send Yusei Kikuchi (6–7, 3.37 ERA) to the mound Friday in West Sacramento as part of a temporary relocation series. The Angels will aim to build on their recent success, while the Dodgers will look to regain momentum in a tightly contested division race.
