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.
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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