Buehler solid in return as Dodgers defeat Marlins 6-3 for 4th straight win

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani continued his power surge with his fourth home run in three games and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Miami Marlins 6-3 on Monday night in Walker Buehler’s first start in nearly two years.

Ohtani became the first big leaguer to reach 11 homers this season when he crushed an elevated fastball from Roddery Muñoz (1-1) and sent it 441 feet into the center-field netting for a two-run shot in the first inning that tied the score 2-all.

It is the eighth time in Ohtani’s career he has homered in three straight games, and the fourth time he’s hit four in a three-game span.

Two pitches after Ohtani’s homer, Freddie Freeman followed with a solo shot to left-center, the first time the Dodgers had gone back-to-back this season.

James Outman and Teoscar Hernández also went deep as the Dodgers won their fourth straight.

Nick Gordon homered as the Marlins lost for the third time in four games on their West Coast trip.

Buehler went four innings, allowing three runs and six hits with four strikeouts. He threw 77 pitches, including 49 strikes.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game the right-hander’s pitch count would be anywhere from 80 to 85.

Ryan Yarbrough (3-1) followed Buehler with three innings of one-hit ball, and Alex Vesia worked the ninth for his first save.

Buehler showed some early nerves as the first two batters reached base and the Marlins scored twice in the first on RBI singles by by Bryan De La Cruz and Jesús Sánchez. Nick Gordon’s leadoff homer in the second tied it 3-all before Buehler settled down.

Gavin Lux led off the second with a walk before Outman homered to right-center to put the Dodgers up 5-3.

Hernández’s solo shot in the third marked the second time in three games the Dodgers hit at least four homers.

Trainer’s room

Marlins: INF Jake Burger was activated after missing 20 games due to a left intercostal muscle strain. INF Jonah Bride was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville.

Dodgers: RHP Joe Kelly was placed on the injured list with a right posterior shoulder strain. … OF Jason Heyward (lower back tightness) took batting practice, but it will not be decided until at least Thursday when he might start a rehab stint.

Up next

Miami RHP Edward Cabrera (1-1, 6.05 ERA) faces RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3-1, 2.91) in the middle game of the series.