Nothing separated the teams for five innings. Then Shohei Ohtani hit a ball 427 feet to center field, and that was the game.
Ohtani's sixth-inning solo home run — his 15th of the season — was the only run scored at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. He finished 1-for-4 with 1 RBI, carrying a .297 average with 42 RBI on the season. He is now five home runs away from 300 for his career.
Justin Wrobleski made the margin hold. The right-hander worked six innings, allowing 3 hits and no runs while striking out 5 on just 67 pitches. Tanner Scott handled the ninth, striking out 2 of the 3 batters he faced to earn his ninth save of the season. Wrobleski improved to 8-2 with a 2.72 ERA.
Drew Rasmussen pitched well enough to win. The Tampa Bay starter went 7.0 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 run while striking out 7 without issuing a walk on 102 pitches. His ERA stands at 2.59. Most nights, that line earns a victory. On this night, the one run he allowed was Ohtani's homer, and it was enough. Rasmussen fell to 6-3.
Los Angeles stands at 45-27, first in its division. Tampa Bay, which won its previous game, moves to 41-27. Ohtani needs 5 more home runs to reach 300 for his career.