LOS ANGELES -- Filling the Shohei Ohtani-shaped hole in the Dodgers' lineup is no easy feat, but Tommy Edman has gotten the job done while stepping into the leadoff spot in the two-way superstar's stead the past three nights.
Edman did his best Ohtani impression on Saturday night, slugging a go-ahead three-run blast from the left-hand side to propel the Dodgers to a 6-5 win over the Nationals at Dodger Stadium. L.A. has won three straight games and will go for a sweep of Washington on Sunday night.
For three nights, the Dodgers have had to write out their lineups without their most fearsome hitter in his usual position atop the order while Ohtani recovers from several lingering health concerns. They were even more shorthanded on Saturday when Max Muncy (illness) and Dalton Rushing (right elbow discomfort) were scratched about two hours before first pitch.
The new-look Dodgers lineup got on the board in the first inning, taking advantage after Kyle Tucker grounded into what could have been an inning-ending double play that instead put runners on the corners with two outs. Teoscar Hernández and Hunter Feduccia followed with back-to-back RBI singles off Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli to put L.A. up, 2-0.
But after the first, Cavalli faced just one over the minimum through his final five innings, with Alex Freeland being the lone Dodger to reach base after singling in the fourth. Tyler Glasnow allowed four runs in six-plus innings while L.A.'s bats went quiet.
Once the Nationals turned to their bullpen in the seventh, the Dodgers began to build an inning. Freeland drew a one-out walk, and Kiké Hernández singled with two outs. That flipped over the order for Edman, who drove a 2-1 slider from right-hander Clayton Beeter to deep right field to turn the tables on Washington.
It was Edman's sixth homer of the season, and his third batting left-handed.
Even without Ohtani, the Dodgers' offense has shown some promising signs since September began. They have scored six or more runs in three of their five games this month; they only had six such games in the month of August.