LOS ANGELES – Michael Lorenzen pitched a season-high seven innings, rookie Wyatt Langford had two RBI singles and the Texas Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 on Thursday night to win a series at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 1999.
“Just a terrific job how they battled and played defense,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said.
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Rangers reliever David Robertson struck out MVPs Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman in succession for the second straight night — the only pitcher to do so this season — to preserve a 3-1 lead in the eighth.
“I just had to dig deep,” Robertson said. “We walked away with a series, which we haven't had in a while.”
Texas took two of three from the NL West leaders after getting routed 15-2 in the opener, when the Dodgers slugged five homers — including four in one inning.
But the Rangers' pitching short-circuited LA's offense this time.
Betts, Ohtani — who homered in each of the first two games — and Freeman were a combined 2 for 12 with three strikeouts.
“There's always going to be stretches of ups and downs as a team and personally,” Ohtani said through a translator. “Obviously, when things aren't going well, that's when we put everything under a microscope. My approach has been the same, just being able to put up quality at-bats.”
Robertson said he got lucky retiring Ohtani again.
“I had the advantage," he said. "He hasn't faced me a lot.”
Lorenzen (4-3) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out two and walked one. The right-hander has permitted two or fewer runs in a career-best six straight starts.
Kirby Yates, the Rangers' 37-year-old closer, earned his 10th save after needing 26 pitches to get through the ninth.
“What a gutty effort,” Bochy said. “That’s impressive.”
The Dodgers didn’t score until rookie Andy Pages’ homer just inside the left-field foul pole in the seventh left them trailing 3-1.
They had runners at the corners with nobody out in the eighth, the first time all night they put a man in scoring position. But then Robertson fanned Betts, Ohtani and Freeman. The 39-year-old reliever got ahead 0-2 on all three, and each one went down swinging.
“It was just my turn to win a battle against them because they’ve been beating me up so bad,” Robertson said.
Michael Grove (4-3) took the loss in his first start since April 28, giving up two runs and three hits in one inning as the opener in a bullpen game.
The Rangers' series win was just their second in Los Angeles in club history and first since 1999. Bochy improved to 109-109 at Dodger Stadium, the most wins by an opposing manager in stadium history.
Texas took a 2-0 lead in the first on Nathaniel Lowe's RBI groundout and Langford's two-out RBI single. Langford added a run-scoring single in the third.
Adolis García had two hits and scored twice for the defending World Series champions.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: SS Corey Seager was scratched to preserve him for a three-game series against the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners. He homered Wednesday after missing four straight games with a hamstring issue.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (elbow) tossed a three-inning simulated game and is further along than expected. ... RHP Bobby Miller (shoulder) made a rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Ryan Brasier (calf) went on the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Andrew Heaney (2-7, 4.06 ERA) starts Friday's series opener at Seattle.
Dodgers: RHP Gavin Stone (7.2, 2.93) starts Friday's interleague series opener against Kansas City.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB