Sunday, June 29, 2025

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2025

After an hour rain delay at Kaufman Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-to-1 on Sunday afternoon. They finished a 5-1 road trip. Justin Wrobleski was brilliant for six innings. Kiké Hernández blasted a two-run homer, and Will Smith hit a solo homer. The Dodgers have been increasing their lead in the National League Western Division and have the best record in the major leagues.

Freddie Freeman had a scheduled off day. Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts continued to slump. It’s amazing the Dodgers still can win when Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman didn’t get a hit.

The Dodgers must stop being cute and trendy when they use an opener. It doesn’t help anyone. Shohei Ohtani must be an opener until he builds up his stamina as a starter, but it is a unique situation.

Lou Trivino was the opener and allowed a lead-off single. He gave up a run-producing double. He got out of an inning.

In the second with two outs, after Andy Pages singled at the end of a tremendous at-bat, Kiké Hernández blasted a two-run homer.

Justin Wrobleski relieved Trivino in the second with a perfect inning. He should have started the game. Since pitching in Saint Louis, he has been brilliant. He deserves to be in the starting rotation. While Wrobleski had trouble in the third, he got out of it scorelessly. In the fourth, Wrobleski was flawless. Wrobleski had six scoreless innings.

In the sixth with two outs, Will Smith blasted a solo home run.

In the seventh, Pages and Max Muncy doubled good for a run. Miguel Rojas drove in Muncy. Rojas was caught stealing and injured. Rojas stayed in the game. He left before the eighth, and Hyeseong Kim replaced him.

Kirby Yates relieved Wrobleski in the eighth with a perfect inning. Jack Dreyer relieved Yates for the ninth with a perfect inning.