Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani splashed his 32nd home run of the season into San Francisco’s McCovey Cove beyond the right-field wall Friday night, but the big blast was not enough to snap the team’s season-high seven-game losing streak.
The San Francisco Giants scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and held on to beat the Dodgers 8-7 on Friday night at Oracle Park to give Los Angeles their longest losing streak since they lost 11 straight games in 2017.
The Giants handed free agent shortstop Willy Adames the largest contract in franchise history in the offseason, and despite struggling to start the season, he started the scoring with a 436-foot home run in the bottom of the second inning.
All-Star Shohei Ohtani put the Dodgers up 2-1 a few minutes later with his splash home run into McCovey Cove.
It marked the 65th home run into the water by an opponent in Oracle Park’s 25-year history and 171st in all — and 35 of those belong to home run king Barry Bonds.
Ohtani connected with one out in the third inning for a two-run drive after Hyeseong Kim’s leadoff single marked the first hit of the night for Los Angeles against Giants starter Logan Webb.
Set to make his fifth start on the mound pitching Saturday, Ohtani crushed a 91.1 mph cutter on Webb’s first offering of the at-bat and the ball traveled 410 feet. A kayaker immediately jumped into the water to retrieve the special souvenir ball.
Dominic Smith homered leading off the fifth after Jung Hoo Lee’s two-run triple in the fourth put San Francisco ahead against Dustin May (5-6). Lee beat out an infield single in the fifth to drive in another run.
Camilo Doval allowed Mookie Betts’ single then walked Freddie Freeman before getting Will Smith to ground into a game-ending double play for his 15th save.
Michael Conforto’s two-run homer in the sixth chased Webb after he hit Betts with a pitch.
The Dodgers have their worst losing streak since Sept. 2-11 2017, when they dropped 11 in a row.
May, who beat the Giants on June 15, was tagged for seven earned runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
San Francisco pulled within four games of the first-place Dodgers in the NL West.
Key play
Following his triple, Lee was called out at home on a fly by Casey Schmitt and a sensational throw by left fielder Conforto. The Giants challenged the call and it was upheld on review.
Key stat
Ohtani’s blast marked the 65th home run into the water by an opponent in Oracle Park’s 25-year history and 171st in all — 35 of those belong to home run king Barry Bonds.
Up next
Ohtani (0-1, 1.50 ERA) pitches Saturday opposite Giants RHP Landen Roupp (6-5, 3.39).