LOS ANGELES ― The in-game presentation and the local broadcasts of the Dodgers’ three games against the Oakland A’s all featured a barely disguised mandate: to remind a last-place team whose future existence lies in limbo of the time the Dodgers beat them in the 1988 World Series.
On the field, the Dodgers shellacked the A’s thrice. Their 8-2 win on Thursday night, before an announced sellout crowd of 52,624 at Dodger Stadium, completed a three-game sweep in which the Dodgers outscored the visitors 25-6.
The challenge for the Dodgers (62-45) is about to get more interesting: a four-game series in San Diego against the NL West rival Padres. But first things first.
Thursday’s win was highlighted by Freddie Freeman’s 22nd home run of the season and five shutout innings by Julio Urías (8-6) in his first start since July 25. The left-hander had been nursing an issue with his left index finger in the meantime but looked no worse for the wear, striking out five batters and walking just one.
The Dodgers staked Urías to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of run-scoring doubles by Miguel Rojas. He and Kiké Hernandez led off the second inning with consecutive two-baggers against Oakland starter JP Sears (2-8). Hernandez and Max Muncy drew walks in advance of a double by Rojas in the third inning.
Rojas’ streak of games without an extra-base hit had reached 17 before he hit a home run on Wednesday.
Zack Gelof’s second home run of the series, a solo shot against Emmet Sheehan in the top of the sixth inning, ended the Dodgers’ shutout bid. But the Dodgers answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
A two-run double by Amed Rosario was the highlight; Rosario nearly advanced two bases when a throw from the outfield missed every A’s infielder in sight but settled in at third. David Peralta followed with a run-scoring pinch-hit single to cap the rally.
Peralta replaced Max Muncy, who suffered a left wrist contusion when he was hit by a pitch in the fifth inning.
Sheehan had been scheduled to start Saturday in San Diego, but he pitched the final four innings of the game to earn his first career save.
Ана Каспарян поднимает вопросы Геноцида армян, этнических чисток в Арцахе и роли Израиля в конфликте — в откровенном интервью с Такером Карлсоном. ВИДЕО
Аукцион за часть дачи Пугачевой опровергли
118 лет назад, 25 июля 1907 года, Ставропольская психиатрическая больница приняла первых 47 пациентов
