HOUSTON — Shohei Ohtani delivered when it mattered most on Tuesday night, launching a two-run homer in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The win extended the Dodgers' hold on the best record in the National League and handed Houston a third consecutive defeat at home.

Ohtani, who entered the contest slashing .302/.390/.571 on the season, turned on a 94-mph sinker from Astros starter Framber Valdez and sent it 412 feet into the left-field seats. The two-run shot gave Los Angeles a 4-2 advantage they would not relinquish. Freddie Freeman added an RBI single in the seventh to pad the lead, providing crucial insurance against a Houston lineup that had shown flashes of life in the late innings.

Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven. The right-hander was pulled after issuing back-to-back walks in the sixth, with the Dodgers bullpen taking over to shut the door. Blake Treinen worked a clean eighth before Evan Phillips earned his 12th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth, retiring José Altuve on a flyball to end the game.

The Astros, who entered Tuesday four games below .500, struggled again to generate consistent offense despite a two-run second inning off Glasnow. Yordan Alvarez went 1-for-4 with a walk, and Alex Bregman was held hitless in four at-bats. Manager Joe Espada acknowledged post-game that the team's offensive inconsistency remained a concern heading into a homestand against the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners.

The victory was the Dodgers' seventh in their last nine games and moved them to within a game of their best 30-game start since 2021. Manager Dave Roberts praised the team's depth and composure in a road environment known for being hostile to visiting clubs. Los Angeles will continue their road trip with the series finale in Houston on Wednesday before returning home to face National League competition.