The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to roll with a series win against the Texas Rangers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers continue to prove why they're the best team in baseball to begin the 2026 season.
Since their 4-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on April 8 and their return home to Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers have resumed their winning ways.
With the help of Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan's six innings on the mound and a pair of home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles secured the series win against the Texas Rangers by a 5-3 final.
Heading into Saturday's outing, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was all eyes on Sheehan's start.
"I think what we're looking for is another step forward," Roberts said on what he expected of Sheehan's third outing of the season.
Roberts noted that he had extra time between starts and felt the work put in at that time was adequate for the Dodgers and Sheehan himself.
Despite giving up three earned runs via a pair of home runs that Brandon Nimmo hit, he still went six innings and struck out six Rangers.
"I thought Emmet was very good tonight," Roberts said.
"I think that the last three outings, each of them, he's gotten better, and for me, that's the message."
Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. -- © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Sheehan was very adamant in the postgame that this was his best he's felt all season.
"Obviously, there are some pitches that I would like to have back there, but delivery-wise and throw-wise, everything felt a lot better," Sheehan said.
The Rangers jumped on Sheehan early. On just the second pitch of the game, Texas's Brandon Nimmo caught a Sheehan fastball for an early 1-0 lead.
Ohtani decided to return the favor on Rangers' starter Jack Leiter's fourth pitch of the game with a leadoff home run of his own. That marks Ohtani's 19th leadoff home run as a member of the Dodgers.
Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a solo home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. -- © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Hernández extended the inning by launching his third home run over the left-field wall for a three-run shot to retake the lead.
Nimmo hit his second home run of the game off Sheehan to inch the Rangers closer, 5-3.
Andy Pages continued his hot hitting by adding a vital insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single to extend the lead, 6-3. That marked Pages' 17th RBI in the last 14 games.
Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) watches his three-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. -- © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images In another classic showing by the bullpen, Jack Dreyer, who came on for Sheehan in the seventh and had a bad outing against Toronto last time out, bounced back against Texas and struck out the minimum he faced.
Tanner Scott retired the side in the eighth, and the Dodgers tasked Blake Treinen to end the game.
Treinen had a sweaty ninth inning of work, only getting to two outs before Alex Vesia secured the last out of the game and the series.
With the win, the Dodgers have won four out of their last five game and improve to 11-3 on the season.
They look for the series sweep on Sunday as Roki Sasaki takes the mound.
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