Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers took the series against the Mariners behind Roki Sasaki continuing his breakout after the All-Star break with his new glove, new confidence, and new stuff. He did falter a bit late, but the pen didn’t. Meanwhile, the Dodgers had big hits from Mookie Betts and Dalton Rushing to secure a 6-2 victory.
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Bryan Woo has been better than his numbers this year, but he has struggled on the road, and the Dodgers certainly didn’t help that discrepancy today.
The lineup began the game behind Tommy Edman drawing a walk on a challenge, getting to second on a passed ball, and advancing to third on an Andy Pages single. Things looked frustrating when two strikeouts followed, but Mookie Betts came through with a two-out double to drive in a pair and make it 2-0 Dodgers early.
After back-to-back singles set the table, back-to-back strikeouts made it look potentially wasted, but Mookie Betts comes through with a two-out, two-run double. pic.twitter.com/pbhMSdp88x
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
Woo then seemed to settled in a bit, getting the 2nd in order and giving up just a single in the 3rd. However, with one out in the 4th, it was Kyle Tucker drawing a walk and stealing second that was followed by a Teoscar Hernandez infield single to set the table. Dalton Rushing took advantage by hitting a good slider for a three-run homer, his 12th of the year, to make it 5-0 Dodgers.
Dalton Rushing tees off on what was a pretty good pitch for a three-run homer. pic.twitter.com/gkmoEmKShg
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
Woo finished the 4th and got a clean 5th to end his outing, but his road woes continued.
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As mentioned, Roki Sasaki was mostly excellent again, continuing his ascend after the All-Star break.
In the 1st, he issued a one-out walk that advanced to second on his own error while trying a pickoff move, but he got the final out there without giving up damage. Roki really started to ramp up in the 2nd when he struck out a pair in cruising through a clean frame.
Roki with a couple ugly swings for strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/rQSPUHV5KR
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
He gave up just a two-out single in the 3rd, but he also showcased a pitch mix that has made him so impressive on a strikeout in the inning: a forkball at 86 MPH, a split at 94 MPH, and then gas at 100 MPH.
Roki forkball at 86, Yamamoto split at 94, fastball at 100. Yes … YES. pic.twitter.com/AsouuGv5TE
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
He followed that with a clean 4th and gave up just a two-out single in the 5th, as he was really baffling their hitters.
This is the exact reaction you want from the other team's best hitter. pic.twitter.com/v1PAFQQamf
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
Unfortunately, he did struggled going through the order for a third time in the 6th. A lead-off triple that resulted from Pages trying to cut a ball off at a single started the trouble, and Randy Arozarena followed with a double to get the Mariners on the board at 5-1.
A walk followed to deepen the trouble, and after a lineout, he gave up a single on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases, and issued another walk to force a run in at 5-2.
That was finally the end of the road for Roki, his worst of the second half … but still pretty great: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K, 90 Pitches.
Roki Sasaki and his cartoon glove notch seven strikeouts as his evolution continues. pic.twitter.com/StVTEv5Btp
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
That two stayed up there because Jack Dreyer entered and continued his excellent July.
He got a strikeout on three pitches and a groundout on the next, though Freddie Freeman‘s jumping tag saved Mookie.
Dreyer gets Roki and the Dodgers out of trouble with a K and groundout. Freddie saving Mookie on the latter. pic.twitter.com/SbYi4imhNB
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
Dreyer continued in the 7th, getting the first two of the inning. Edgardo Henriquez then entered for what seemed like a confidence building outing, instead giving up a single (advanced on a passed ball) and issuing a walk before getting out of it.
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For the Mariners’ pen, Alex Hoppe got the 6th and 7th, but Teoscar hit his ninth homer of the year for some insurance to make it 6-2 Dodgers.
"Se queda." – Shakira's Ex pic.twitter.com/imqMJBXD2w
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
Cole Wilcox loaded the bases but managed a scoreless 8th.
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To close the game out, the Dodgers started with Tanner Scott in the 8th, though he labored through a 27-pitch inning where he gave up a single and a walk but ultimately got a scoreless frame.
For the 9th, in a non-save situation but to get him work, Edwin Diaz entered and started a bit concerning with a bunch of fastballs in the 95-96 MPH range. But after a single he ramped it up later for a pair of strikeouts to secure the win.
After a concerning start, Edwin gets back-to-back strikeouts on 99 and 97 painted. pic.twitter.com/wMz5UX3tG8
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) July 31, 2026
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Stephen Nelson … thank you.
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69 (nice) wins and 40 losses.
The Dodgers will now welcome in the Red Sox for a three-game series, starting tomorrow at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET. It’ll be … uh, the bullpen (?) against Ranger Suarez.
