Dodgers hit 2 late HRs to surge past Brewers

Miguel Vargas hit a go-ahead pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning and Shohei Ohtani tacked on another homer as the Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 5-3 victory Saturday over the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.

Will Smith also hit a home run for the Dodgers, while James Outman had two hits in his first game since returning from Triple-A.

Smith’s first-inning homer came after he clubbed three in Friday night’s 8-5 win. He has 15 this season.

Christian Yelich hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning for the Brewers, while Rhys Hoskins homered in his second straight game. Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta gave up three runs on four hits and departed after throwing 104 pitches over four innings.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead on Willy Adames’s RBI single in the first.

Los Angeles surged in front in the bottom of the frame when Ohtani worked a leadoff walk and Smith followed with his home run to make it 2-1. Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez both singled before Andy Pages’s RBI gave the Dodgers a 3-1 advantage.

Milwaukee moved within a run in the fourth inning when Hoskins hit a two-out home run to left field, his 13th.

Los Angeles failed to increase its lead in the fourth after loading the bases against Peralta with one out. Smith struck out and Freeman grounded out to end the threat.

The Dodgers turned to closer Evan Phillips in the eighth inning with the heart of the Brewers order coming to the plate. Yelich tied it at 3-3 with one out on his 10th homer.

Vargas’s third home run this season came on the third pitch from Brewers left-hander Bryan Hudson (4-1) and put Los Angeles back on top 4-3. Ohtani then went deep off Hudson two batters later for his 28th.

Phillips (2-0) earned the win and Alex Vesia pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

–Field Level Media