Dodgers take Game 2 against the Marlins with blowout win on Women’s Night

Every Dodger that took the field today found themselves on base at least once in Tuesday’s stunning 15-2 game against the Miami Marlins. Alongside the offensive explosion, the bullpen was able to limit the Marlins to just two runs throughout the game.

The energy in the stadium was electric even before the first pitch, with pre-game performances in centerfield plaza from DJ Miss Ninja, Boyle Height natives Mariachi Las Catrinas and rock band Zoë Kilgren Band. The national anthem was performed by American rock musician Nita Strauss, known for being the touring guitarist for Alice Cooper. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Mexican singer-songwriter Deyra Barrera. Barrera received a warm welcome from the crowd, the Mariachi performer well loved for being a personal friend of Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela and featuring on Los Angeles native Kendrick Lamar’s album “GNX.” Professional boxer and flyweight title holder Gabriela Fundora recited the famous “It’s Time for Dodgers Baseball” line to kick off what would be an exciting game.

Miami center fielder Dane Myers put the Marlins on the board first with a run batted in, or RBI, single in the top of the first off of left-handed pitcher Jack Dreyer. In his first Major League career start, Dreyer was decently successful, with two hits, one earned run and three strikeouts over two innings. Myers picked up right where he left off with his grand slam the day before in game one, going 3-for-3 with a stolen base and a RBI. Myers struggled slightly on the defensive end, most notably his missed catch attempts in the first, seventh and eighth innings that helped the Dodgers with extra base runners.

Shohei Ohtani set the tone for the Dodgers Tuesday night with his 14th career leadoff home run off of the first pitch from two-time All Star and 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcántara. Alcántara was far from his best, with seven hits, seven earned runs and five walks in just 2.2 innings pitched. Dodgers leadoff hitter Ohtani would go 1-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and one walk. Austin Barnes pinch hit for Ohtani in the bottom of the eighth inning going 1-for-1 with a single to center field.

Betts would fly out in the first following Ohtani’s homer, but first baseman Freddie Freeman put the Dodgers right back in scoring position with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Right fielder Teoscar Hernández launched a double to send Freeman home. Freeman would end the game going 2-for-2 with two walks. Catcher Will Smith hit a single to reach first while T. Hernández was called safe at third on a throwing error from Marlins shortstop Xavier Edwards. Second baseman Tommy Edman hit a sacrifice fly before center fielder Andy Pages flew out to end the first inning Dodgers up 3-1.

T. Hernández would hit a double to score Ohtani in the bottom of the second before a three-run third inning thanks to a Pages and Betts single that blew the score open 7-1 Dodgers. Doubles by Smith and Edman tacked on more runs in the sixth, the Dodgers up by 10 and the Marlins left blanked since their run in the first. The Marlins would get their only other run of the game from a RBI single by designated hitter Ronny Simon in the top of the seventh.

The Dodgers would go on to score four more runs off a T. Hernández single on Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano and multiple hits off of left fielder Javier Sanoja, who came on to pitch for Miami in the bottom of the eighth. One of the late game hits was a home run by Pages, extending his hitting streak to seven games. Pages continued his hot performance after being named NL Co-Player of the Week last week, ending his day 3-for-5. Shortstop Miguel Rojas hit a single off the bench to score Barnes and T. Hernández hit another single to score the last run of the game. T. Hernández had a stellar night, going 4-for-5, all of his hits translating into runs. T. Hernández now leads the major league in RBIs with a total of 31 on the season.

As a team, the Dodgers recorded 18 hits and went 11-for-19 with runners in scoring position, emphasizing their offensive power in this game. Third baseman Max Muncy and left fielder Michael Conforto were the only Dodgers who did not record a hit, but both still reached base with a walk each. The Marlins paled in comparison with a mere nine hits and 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Tonight’s win, accompanied by the loss of the San Francisco Giants at the hands of the San Diego Padres, pulled the Dodgers ahead to take first place in the NL West. With the series victory clinched, the Dodgers will turn to right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin in his season debut to complete a sweep in game three against Miami on Wednesday, April 30, at 12:10 p.m.