MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - Roki Sasaki overcame early trouble to complete five solid innings and earn his third win of the season as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3 on Saturday.
The Japanese right-hander got into a 3-0 hole in the first inning at American Family Field, with Brice Turang doubling home the opening run, Sasaki's throwing error to first base allowing the second, and a subsequent single adding the third before he escaped the inning.
Sasaki (3-3) got two quick outs to begin the second inning before walking a batter and surrendering a double, but he neutralized the threat with a clutch flyout that started a chain of 10 straight hitters he retired.
He finished with four strikeouts, while giving up four hits and two walks.
"I need to reflect on how I gave up three runs in the first inning, but after that I was able to keep putting up zeros and grind my way through five innings," Sasaki said.
"I made some adjustments to my pitch mix based on what I saw in the first inning and was able to attack hitters better."
Teoscar Hernandez led the Los Angeles offense with six RBIs, including a three-run home run during a big fourth inning that saw the Dodgers go up 4-3, while Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
The two-way superstar brought home a run with his line-drive single to right field as the Dodgers broke open the game with four runs in the top of the ninth.
The Dodgers and Brewers are knotted 1-1 in the replay of last year's National League Championship Series, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto scheduled to take the mound for Los Angeles in Sunday's deciding game.
