Los Angeles Dodgers Punish Chicago White Sox With Relentless Two-Out Rally in 6–1 Victory That Highlights Championship-Caliber Execution
The Los Angeles Dodgers once again demonstrated why they are one of the most disciplined, clutch, and dangerous teams in all of baseball, using timely two-out hitting to overwhelm the struggling Chicago White Sox in a 6–1 win on the South Side. While the final score may not scream blowout, the way the Dodgers executed — especially with two outs — told a different story. The White Sox simply couldn’t escape innings cleanly, and the Dodgers made them pay nearly every time.
Time and again, the White Sox found themselves one out away from ending a threat, only to watch the Dodgers extend innings with poise, patience, and punishing swings. The result was another crisp, professional win for Los Angeles and yet another frustrating night for a Chicago team that has now lost nine of its last 11 games.
From the very first inning, the Dodgers set the tone with their relentless two-out approach. With two gone and a runner on second, Shohei Ohtani rifled a double into the right-center field gap to open the scoring. It was Ohtani’s 25th double of the season, and it came on a 98 mph fastball that he turned around with ease. The play brought Mookie Betts, who had reached on a walk, home to give the Dodgers a 1–0 lead.
The White Sox escaped further damage in the first, but that would be the last time all night they managed to keep the Dodgers off the board in a two-out situation.
In the third inning, the carnage continued. Chicago starter Garrett Crochet appeared to settle in, striking out Gavin Lux and Betts to open the frame. But then came the unraveling. Ohtani worked a full-count walk and promptly stole second base. Freddie Freeman followed with a single to left, scoring Ohtani with ease. On the next pitch, Will Smith laced a double into the left-field corner. Just like that — three straight hits after two outs — and the Dodgers were up 3–0.
“It’s what good teams do,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts postgame. “You don’t give away outs. You make pitchers work, and when you get two outs, that’s when it matters most.”
The Dodgers weren’t done. In the fifth inning, again with two outs, Freeman delivered another RBI single, this time scoring Betts, who had doubled earlier. Freeman’s bat has been red-hot over the last two weeks, and he now boasts a team-leading .317 average with runners in scoring position.
By the time the sixth inning rolled around, the White Sox had used three pitchers and still couldn’t keep the Dodgers off the bases with two outs. In what was perhaps the most demoralizing moment of the game for Chicago, Enrique Hernández turned on a hanging breaking ball and deposited it over the left-field fence for a two-run homer — again, with two outs. That blast pushed the score to 6–0 and sent a visible wave of resignation through the White Sox dugout.
“We were one pitch away from getting out of several innings,” said White Sox manager Pedro Grifol. “You’ve got to finish innings. You’ve got to make pitches when it matters most. We didn’t.”
On the other side, the Dodgers pitching staff quietly dominated. Starter Gavin Stone delivered one of his best outings of the season, going six strong innings while giving up just four hits and one run. He struck out six and walked none, keeping the White Sox lineup off balance with a mix of well-located fastballs and diving changeups.
Stone’s lone blemish came in the bottom of the sixth, when Paul DeJong launched a solo homer to left. But by then, the game was firmly in the Dodgers’ control.
“I felt good out there,” Stone said after the game. “We had a great plan coming in. I just wanted to keep the tempo up and let the defense work.”
The Dodgers’ defense, true to form, played clean baseball. They turned two key double plays and made every routine play with ease. Betts, playing second base, ranged far to his right in the third inning to rob Korey Lee of a hit and end a mini-threat.
After Stone exited, the bullpen trio of Ryan Yarbrough, Joe Kelly, and Evan Phillips shut things down, combining for three scoreless innings with just one hit allowed.
For the White Sox, the loss was another chapter in a season full of frustration and what-ifs. Despite the efforts of DeJong and a strong two-inning relief appearance from Jordan Leasure, the team once again failed to execute in the key moments — particularly with runners on base.
Chicago finished the game 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, continuing a downward trend that has seen their team batting average in those situations plummet to .202 — worst in the majors.
“You can’t win games if you don’t cash in when you get the chance,” said White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi. “And you sure can’t win if you can’t stop the other team with two outs.”
Indeed, the game’s defining theme — two-out execution — is what continues to separate the Dodgers from most of the league. It’s a mark of their discipline, depth, and focus. Where other teams let up or press, the Dodgers stay locked in. They don’t chase bad pitches. They don’t take defensive at-bats. They thrive in moments where most teams struggle.
And perhaps no team embodies that identity more than this 2025 version of the Dodgers, who have built their roster with postseason baseball in mind. Veterans like Freeman, Betts, and Ohtani combine with rising stars like Pages and Lux to form a lineup that is as relentless as it is talented. Add to that a bullpen that doesn’t flinch and a rotation full of swing-and-miss arms, and you get the kind of team that rarely beats itself.
As for Chicago, the questions only deepen. The team’s record continues to sink, and the trade deadline looms. With the front office already rumored to be exploring deals for Tim Anderson, Luis Robert Jr., and even Garrett Crochet, the next few weeks could determine not just the fate of the season, but the direction of the franchise.
For now, though, the contrast was clear. The Dodgers are a team on a mission — methodical, professional, and ruthless in execution. The White Sox, by contrast, are searching for answers.
The crowd of over 28,000 — a good portion of them wearing Dodgers blue — left the stadium with little doubt about which team had their act together. The Dodgers improved to 57–31 with the win and now set their sights on continuing their road dominance.
“Every win matters,” said Ohtani. “But it’s how you win that gives you confidence in October.”
And on this night, they won the way champions do — one two-out hit at a time.
