The Dodgers made me staying up for this game worth my time at least, as the offense finally got going against Miles Mikolas, breaking out by slugging five homers in a 13-6 blowout of the Nationals in their homer opener.
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Let’s start things with Emmet Sheehan, mostly because the Dodgers got behind early yet again in the 1st. After a lead-off double that Andy Pages could not quite squeeze, Sheehan got a pair of outs to put him on the verge of escape, but then issued a walk and gave up a three-run dong to CJ Abrams that made it 3-0 Nationals.
CJ HOME open ER !!!!!! pic.twitter.com/p6zTaQo2wN
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 3, 2026
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A less than ideal start on the mound, and even more less than ideal in the box, as Miles Mikolas was six up and six down through two frames.
That didn’t last long, as Teoscar Hernandez led the 3rd off with an infield single, Pages walked on four pitches, and then Shohei Ohtani finally awoke with his first homer with one down, pummeling a ball to right for a three-run shot to tie things up at 3-3.
SHOTIME! pic.twitter.com/ORmLPlpKhr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2026
After a Kyle Tucker single, Mookie Betts then got going with his second homer of the year to left-center, and the Dodgers led 5-3 just like that.
Mookie for the lead! pic.twitter.com/BUf8jsNDdW
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2026
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Back to Sheehan, he allowed a single and wild pitch in the 2nd but no runs, and unfortunately couldn’t say the same in the 3rd. A lead-off single was followed by a double-play ball, but Mookie threw wide to first. Of course, that was followed by a wild pitch, and then with two down Alex Freeland knocked down a hot shot to him from CJ Abrams, but it got away from him and an “earned” run ended up coming home to score. 5-4, Dodgers.
ccccccj + day ?? pic.twitter.com/RtVSVoCUzU
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 3, 2026
Fortunately, Sheehan ended up settling from there, giving up a walk in the 4th, and a pair of infield singles in the 5th, but no further damage. He actually came out in the 6th as well, issuing a lead-off walk before getting two outs and being removed there.
The line was not great, but the velocity concerns had some answers today: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K, 98 Pitches.
Back up to 94.5 MPH in the 6th, touching 96 MPH. Overall, progress.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 3, 2026
Jack Dreyer entered in relief and helped strand the runner by getting a strikeout to end the frame.
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When Sheehan exited, he did so with a sizable lead at least, as the Dodgers kept scoring after they took a lead in the 3rd. With one down in the 4th, Teoscar got another infield hit, and Andy Pages stayed red hot by bombing his second homer to left to make it 7-4.
Stay hot, Andy! pic.twitter.com/G3zhUxMRe8
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2026
The 5th then really blew things open, as Mookie started with a single and then Freddie Freeman homered for his second game in a row to make it 9-4.
Freddie! Freddie! Freddie! pic.twitter.com/rvORwptja7
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2026
Later in the same frame with Mikolas still in the game, Max Muncy singled with one down and Teoscar doubled into the right-center gap to make it 10-4.
After Muncy singled off the wall, Teoscar doubles into the gap to give the Dodgers double digits. pic.twitter.com/Gufb4vEVhX
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 3, 2026
That knocked Mikolas out, but the scoring continued. A Pages single cornered the runners, Alex Freeland walked to load the bases, and with two down it was Tucker singling to right to make it 11-4.
Tucker singles with the bases loaded to add another on. pic.twitter.com/pCA3b2Dr7O
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 3, 2026
After they stranded a pair of runners to start the 6th, it was Tucker again adding to the lead in the 7th wit his first homer as a Dodger!
Kyle Tucker with his first homer as a Dodger, his third hit of the game, plus dugout celebration. pic.twitter.com/z3INUDzm4i
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 3, 2026
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Finishing the game with a comfortable lead was the rest of the pen, as Blake Treinen got a scoreless 7th thanks to a double play ending an inning that saw a double and a walk.
The 8th didn’t go as planned, as Edgardo Henriquez started … roughly. Single, single, double for a run, groundout for a run, and a walk made it 12-6 and had him still in trouble. But he got a strikeout and pop out to stop the bleeding there.
In the final two innings, the Dodgers added a run in the 9th via a Shohei Ohtani bases loaded sac fly to the track after an Alex Call walk, another Pages single, and a Freeland walk to make it 13-6.
Ben Casparius put the finishing touches on the game in the 9th with a 1-2-3 frame.
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Will Smith is doing it.
Dills is coming for all his framing runs, motherfuckers.
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) April 3, 2026 at 9:07 AM
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5-2, season being over averted.
Tomorrow is somehow only three hours later at 10:05 AM HT/1:05 PM PT/4:05 PM ET with Tyler Glasnow facing Jake Irvin.
