Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (61-45) cruised to a lopsided 10-1 win against the last-place Athletics (30-79) Wednesday night in Los Angeles to secure the series win. The Dodgers put up three runs in the first inning, and the offense never let up thereafter against Oakland starter Hogan Harris and their bullpen.
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The Dodgers are on game two of 13 straight, and these games against the lowly A’s are the ones they really need to win. After the Dodgers finish the series with Oaktown on Thursday, they head off to San Diego to take on the Padres for a pivotal four-game series.
Tony Gonsolin allowed nine runs in his previous two starts against the Blue Jays and Rangers, and looked for a bounce back start tonight. Gonsolin continued to try to find some rhythm with his off-speed stuff, and he was able to take advantage of the weak Oakland lineup. After he threw a season-high 109 pitches in his last outing, Dave Roberts mentioned that he would be monitoring his pitch count in his pre-game interview. Gonsolin ultimately made 84 pitches over five innings of work.
It was a more positive start for the cat-loving right-hander. After failing to land one of the top trade targets at the deadline, the Dodgers really need Gonsolin to pitch effectively down the stretch.
5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 K, 84 Pitches
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Perhaps some pressure was lifted from Gonsolin after the offense backed him up with an immediate lead. The theme of the season continued as the 1-2 punch of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman once again tormented the opposition. Betts smashed a double off the glove of center fielder JJ Bleday‘s glove. Freeman drove in Mookie for an RBI single to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 advantage.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out against the roughed-up Harris in the first inning. Chris Taylor hit a soft grounder to Jordan Diaz at third base, but he was able to leg it out after Diaz’s slow decision on the play. That brought in the second run of the inning for the Dodgers. Will Smith brought in the third run of the frame on a scoring force out grounded into by James Outman.
Homer. Double. Double. Homer. The Dodgers continued to unload on the battered Oakland right-hander Harris. Betts unloaded for a monster solo home run against Harris in the bottom of the second inning to make it 4-0. The 436-ft. no-doubter was Mookie’s longest home run with the Dodgers.
Doubles from Freeman and Will Smith netted the Dodgers their third run of the inning. Then Amed Rosario was welcomed to Dodger Stadium as he was applauded after his first home run with the Dodgers. The two-run shot made it a resounding 7-0 lead for the Boys in Blue.
Miguel Rojas was also welcomed back to Dodger Stadium with resounding cheers emanating from the pavilions when he collected his first home run of the year in the third to make it 8-1.
Jason Heyward hit his first home run against a LHP this season. His 11th long ball with the Dodgers came in the sixth off Kirby Snead to make it 9-1.
After an Outman double, Enrique Hernandez‘s RBI single in the seventh made it 10-1.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ bullpen took over with a seven-run lead in the sixth, and Yency Almonte was the first arm to get the ball for two innings of scoreless work. Alex Vesia shut down the A’s in the eighth. Ryan Brasier closed it out in the ninth even after he allowed the A’s to get a couple runners on.
Dodgers improved to 33-20 at home.
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The Dodgers go for the sweep of the A’s Thursday night when Julio Urías (7-6, 4.98 ERA, 1.205 WHIP) takes the ball for the series finale at Dodger Stadium. JP Sears (2-7, 4.09 ERA, 12 HBP), another Oakland rookie lefty pitcher that hasn’t faced the Dodgers, toes the rubber for the A’s.
First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. PST on SNLA.
