DENVER (AP) — Maybe just as encouraging for the Los Angeles Dodgers as their bats finally waking up Monday night was the status report on Shohei Ohtani's knee following his most recent bullpen session.
“Felt good the next day,” Ohtani said through an interpreter after the Dodgers' 11-5 win over the Colorado Rockies.
Ohtani is slated for another bullpen session on Tuesday. He hasn't pitched in a game since July 3 due to irritation in his left knee, but he may be trending in the right direction.
“That’s the hope, and that’s the reason why we’ve been pretty careful in the rehab process,” said Ohtani, who's 8-2 on the mound this season with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings. "That’s the ideal outcome — to make sure that I come back as soon as possible.”
Ohtani and the Dodgers certainly found an easy solution to their recent offensive woes — playing at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
The designated hitter had a pair of homers — the 25th multihomer game of his career — and Max Muncy added a three-run shot to highlight the offensive explosion.
The 11 runs were the most by LA since a 12-7 win over San Diego on July 2. This after entering the Monday averaging 3.4 runs per game over a stretch that saw them drop 11 of 16.
“Collectively, I liked everything,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “That’s who we are. That’s what we’ve been searching for, for quite some time.”
Ohtani finished 4 for 5 and has now hit safely in 21 straight games at Coors Field. Over the streak, he has nine homers and 24 RBIs while hitting .413.
“Just trying to feel good at the plate, just making sure that I’m not too tense,” Ohtani explained of his approach in the Mile High City. “Just really making sure that I’m contact-oriented. So those are the things that I really focus on here at the field.”
For Roberts, this was vintage Ohtani.
“Really exceptional in the sense of his pitch selection — his direction to the big part of the field that we talk about a lot,” Roberts said. “When he does that, there’s nobody better on the planet.”
Freddie Freeman (3 for 5 with two doubles), Andy Pages (3 for 4 with a double) and Muncy (2 for 4, his 25th homer) also had big nights at the plate.
It was a tough time for Kyle Tucker, who finished 0 for 5 and included a ground out while facing outfielder/infielder Troy Johnston in the ninth. Tucker is now 0 for 24 over his last seven games. He also had an error in right field.
“He’s frustrated,” Roberts said. "Certainly, the play in right field there’s indecision and catching the baseball at your ankles kind of speaks to where his head is at right now.
“It’s not from a lack of effort, care. It’s just right now, he’s kind of fighting. So we've got to keep supporting him."
Reliever Edwin Díaz allowed three runs in the ninth as he continues to work through some things on the mound.
“I just hope he doesn't lose his confidence,” Roberts said. “I believe in him. I think the compete was there."
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