Ernie Clement hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays held off a late rally to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5–4 on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Entering the game as +125 underdogs, the Blue Jays avoided a three-game sweep and maintained their position atop the American League standings.
Shohei Ohtani opened the scoring immediately, launching a 400-foot solo home run off Eric Lauer’s fourth game pitch. It was Ohtani’s 41st homer of the season and his third in four games, tying him with Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber for the National League lead. Freddie Freeman followed later in the first inning with a solo shot of his own, giving the Dodgers a 2–0 lead.
Toronto cut the deficit in the third inning when Kevin Kiermaier’s RBI single scored Daulton Varsho. The Blue Jays tied it in the sixth on a run-scoring groundout from Bo Bichette, but both starting pitchers avoided further damage. Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow struck out eight and allowed only two runs on four hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings, extending his winless streak to 10 starts despite posting a 1.82 ERA since returning from the injured list.
The game’s momentum shifted in the late innings. In the eighth, with the score tied 2–2, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected for a solo home run off Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen, and rookie Addison Barger followed with another homer to give Toronto a 4–2 advantage. The lead didn’t last, as Jeff Hoffman walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning and then issued a free pass to Freeman, forcing in a run.
In the ninth, Clement led off against Alex Vesia and drove the low slider’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers to restore Toronto’s lead at 5–4. Clement’s homer was the Blue Jays’ third in the final two innings.
Hoffman remained in the game for the bottom of the ninth but again struggled with command, walking three of the first four batters he faced to load the bases with one out. Toronto turned to rookie Mason Fluharty, who struck out Ohtani on a full-count breaking ball before getting Mookie Betts to ground out, dramatically earning his first career save.
Ohtani finished the day with two hits, two intentional walks, and a home run. He has 23 career leadoff homers, 11 of which have come this season — the most in Major League Baseball. Freeman’s homer in the first was his 18th of the year, and he reached base three times.
The Dodgers fell to 67–49 with the loss and will begin a two-game Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10–7, 2.51 ERA) starting the opener in Anaheim. The Blue Jays, improving to 72–43, will return home to face the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, sending José Berríos (8–4, 3.89 ERA) to the mound.