Shohei Ohtani’s longest Dodgers pitching start wasted in loss to Astros

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 05: Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) strikes out in the top of the sixth inning during the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros on May 5, 2026 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Shohei Ohtani pitched his deepest into a game in three seasons, but got very little offensive support in the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Daikin Park. Ohtani was efficient on the mound with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Not only did he record an out in the seventh inning for the first time with the Dodgers, he completed seven innings on only 89 pitches. It’s his longest pitching start since pitching a shutout on July 27, 2023 with the Angels . Ohtani didn’t allow a home run in any of his first five starts this season.

That streak ended on Tuesday with an expected source, as Christian Walker crushed a ball in the second inning, his 30th career home run in 95 games and 352 plate appearances against the Dodgers. Ohtani’s second home run allowed came shortly after, when Braden Shewmake hooked one just over the left field wall into the Crawford Boxes, akin to Alex Freeland’s home run for the Dodgers in Monday’s series opener. Those were the only two runs against Ohtani, whose ERA skyrocketed up to 0.

97. He leads the National League in ERA again, as he has after each of his six starts this season . And pitching seven innings means he’ll be on the leaderboard through Thursday, with Ohtani now at 37 innings, the Dodgers playing their 37th game on Wednesday before the off day.