NEW YORK — Twenty-two pitches in the afternoon, two pitches at night.
The two sides of Shohei Ohtani came as close together Sunday as they have been in his two seasons with the Dodgers. He pitched in a live batting practice session during the day, facing hitters for the first time in almost two years. A few hours later, he homered on the second pitch of the game, tying Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber for the major-league lead with 18 home runs.
That was all the offense the Dodgers managed, however, in a 3-1 loss to the New York Mets Sunday night.
After winning Friday night’s 13-inning, late-night affair, the Dodgers managed just three runs on 11 hits while losing back-to-back games at Citi Field.
Ohtani’s daily double Sunday was impressive. He hit 97 mph with his fastball during the early workout on the mound, then clubbed a Kodai Senga fastball 108.2 mph 411 feet into the right-center field seats.
It was the fourth time this season Ohtani has led off a game with a home run. The Dodgers followed it up by putting runners at second and third with no outs after an error and a double by Freddie Freeman. But Mookie Betts tagged up on Will Smith’s fly ball to center field and was thrown out at the plate by Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor.
The Dodgers threatened again in the fourth inning when they put runners at the corners with two outs. But Andy Pages flew out to the warning track in left field. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Smith grounded out. The best-hitting team in the majors with runners in scoring position (a .306 average coming into the game), the Dodgers went 0 for 4 with RISP against Senga. They didn’t get another runner to second base until there were two outs in the ninth inning.
Unlike Ohtani, Landon Knack did not get his day off to a good start.
Six of the first 11 Mets batters put balls in play with exit velocities of 98 mph or higher against Knack, including a two-run home run crushed by Pete Alonso in the first inning that put the Mets in the lead.
Alonso’s homer came after an error by third baseman Max Muncy with two outs extended the inning. In the third inning, more poor defense by the Dodgers figured into another run. With a runner on first and no outs, Betts fielded a ground ball up the middle and tried to flip it to Tommy Edman for a forceout at second base.
Betts’ flip was well over Edman’s head and onto the infield grass, allowing the runner to advance to third and score on the next play, a successful forceout at second base.
Knack transformed into a different pitcher after that. He retired 12 of the next 13 batters, completing six innings.
