MIAMI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani stole his 49th base and moved closer to becoming the first player in major league history with 50 home runs and 50 steals in a season as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Miami Marlins 8-4 on Wednesday night.

Ohtani, who started the day with a two-run lead, singled to lead off the game and then hit second. He flew out to left, struck out, lined out to right and struck out in his next four plate appearances.

“What a season — it’s remarkable that he can hit as a DH, but even more remarkable is that he can keep his legs loose to make the steal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

Tommy Edman hit his sixth home run in the last eight games for the NL West-leading Dodgers (90-62), who still held a 3 1/2-game lead over second-place San Diego. Enrique Hernández and Will Smith also homered and Freddie Freeman had three hits.

The Dodgers recorded 90 wins for the 11th straight 162-game season.

“It’s pretty impressive. It’s one of the best organizations in baseball in terms of consistent winning,” Roberts said. “You can’t take it for granted because playing in October is not a rite of passage for any organization.”

Dodgers starter Landon Knack (3-4) gave up two hits in five scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out seven. For Knack, the outing overcame the frustrations of his previous start, when he allowed five runs and seven hits in two innings against Atlanta last Friday.

“Of course I wasn’t happy about that,” Knack said. “I was very angry and ready to bounce back.”

Smith gave Los Angeles an early lead with his solo home run in the second, hitting a fastball from Miami starter Ryan Weathers over the wall in left for his 19th home run.

The Dodgers broke it open with a five-run fourth against Weathers (3-6). Edman hit a two-run homer and Hernández added a three-run drive.

“I’ve developed some bad habits and I’ve been working hard to correct them,” Edman said of his recent surge. “It’s still a work in progress, but I think it’s getting better.”

Miami narrowed the gap thanks to a two-run single by Otto López against Zach Logue and a sacrifice fly by Nick Fortes against Blake Treinen in the seventh inning.

Chris Taylor increased Los Angeles’ lead with a two-run single in the eighth inning.

Weathers’ outing ended on Freeman’s one-out double in the fifth. The left-handed pitcher, making his first appearance since June 7, surrendered six runs and eight hits, striking out five. He was sidelined with a sprained left index finger.

“I was happy to be back,” Weathers said. “I wish I could have thrown the ball better.”

With 17,138 spectators on Wednesday, the Marlins’ season attendance reached 1,007,039, trailing only the Oakland A’s.

Before the game, the Dodgers activated right-handed reliever Joe Kelly from the injured list and selected Logue’s contract from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Kelly replaced Knack and threw a perfect sixth. The club sent right-handed pitchers Bobby Miller and Michael Grove to Oklahoma City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (left big toe bone spur) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, and Roberts considered it an important step in his rehabilitation. … INF Miguel Rojas was scrapped at the last minute because he “wasn’t feeling well,” Roberts said.

Marlins: RHP Max Meyer (right shoulder bursitis) continues his rehabilitation program at the club’s spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. He will be evaluated in the coming days for a possible throwing program.

NEXT

RHP Jack Flaherty (12-7, 3.04) will start the final game of the series for the Dodgers on Thursday, while the Marlins will play with RHP Edward Cabrera (4-7, 4.55).

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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB