Angels Stun Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers—But What Ambitious Goal Drives Them Beyond This Victory?

The Dodgers strolled into their weekend face-off against the Angels riding high as the top dogs in the National League—a spot they’ve clinched with hard work and hustle. Yet, on this particular Friday night, that swagger hit a wall in Southern California. Jack Kochanowicz, the Angels’ crafty right-hander, showed why he’s a handful, holding the Dodgers down to just a single run on five scattered hits over nearly seven innings. The final score? A decisive 6-2 victory for the Angels that flipped the script and left the Dodgers looking up from the bottom.

Just a day before, the Dodgers had unleashed an offensive explosion, raining down 19 runs in a one-sided spanking of the Athletics. But Kochanowicz, seemingly in the zone, dodged every bullet, smoothing out any rough edges to notch his second straight win. Meanwhile, the Dodgers found themselves tangled up in a rare misfortune—tying a franchise record by grounding into five double plays, painting a frustrating picture for the normally potent lineup.

It was a downright rollercoaster of a night—one filled with a mix of grit, missed chances, and moments that made you stop and say, “Whoa, didn’t see that coming.” The once confident Dodgers, battling through pitching struggles and a potent Angels offense, faced a reality check amid the buzz and cheers at the ballpark.

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The Dodgers entered their weekend series with the Angels as the winningest team in the National League. But on Friday they weren’t even the best team in Southern California, with right-hander Jack Kochanowicz holding them to a run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-2 Angels win.

A night earlier, the Dodgers (29-16) scored 19 times in a rout of the Athletics. But Kochanowicz, who turned in his best performance of the season to win his second straight decision, dodged trouble all night. The Dodgers helped, matching a franchise record by hitting into five double plays.

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Right-hander Dustin May, winless in his last four outings, got off to a rough start for the Dodgers. After striking out leadoff hitter Zach Neto, he walked Nolan Schanuel on five pitches then gave up a two-run homer to Yoán Moncada, his third of the season.

Read more: ‘A lot of gratitude and gratefulness to get back.’ Clayton Kershaw reflects on 2025 return

The fourth inning was even rougher with the Angels (18-25) loading the bases with one out on a single and two hit batters. That allowed Neto to double the lead with a double to left. May (1-4) escaped further trouble with a pair of strikeouts. He left after the fifth inning, having yielded six hits and four runs but striking out a season-high eight. Dodger pitchers struck out 15 batters on the night.

They couldn’t get much going offensively, however, scoring their only run off Kochanowicz (3-5) in the fourth when Will Smith drew a one-out walk, then scored on Max Muncy’s double to the wall in right-center.

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Shohei Ohtani added a second run in the eighth, belting a long homer into the batter’s eye beyond the center-field wall off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn. The home run was Ohtani’s MLB-leading 16th of the season and third in two nights.

The Angels closed the scoring in the ninth on a two-run single by Schanuel.

Neto, Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward and Matthew Lugo had two hits each for the Angels while Schanuel and Moncada drove in two runs each. Smith, Ohtani and rookie Hyeseong Kim had two hits each for the Dodgers.

Notes: The Dodgers summoned right-hander Ryan Loutos from triple-A Oklahoma City to give them a fresh arm after left-hander Justin Wrobleski threw four scoreless innings to earn the win in Thursday’s rout of the A’s. Loutos made his Dodger debut in the ninth inning, giving up two runs. … Outfielder Teoscar Hernández, out since May 6 with a groin strain, is expected to make a rehab assignment with single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday and could be reactivated Monday. Utility player Tommy Edman, out two weeks with right ankle inflammation, could rejoin the team Sunday.

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For Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who went on the injured list May 2 with a left knee injury, did some throwing Friday and is continuing to progress in his rehab, although manager Ron Washington said the team has no timeline for his return.

Read more: Hernández: Hyeseong Kim has arrived, and the Dodgers need to make sure he’s here to stay

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.