With Emmet Sheehan warming up earlier than the sport to throw behind Julio Urias if wanted given the latter’s cracked fingernail, one would naturally have a bit little bit of concern even when the Dodgers had dealt with the Athletics within the first two video games of the sequence.
As a substitute, Urias supplied a powerful 5 innings and Sheehan nonetheless entered to shut out the ultimate 4 innings of the 8-2 victory for the Dodgers over the A’s.
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By practically each measure, it’s been clear how badly Urias has struggled early on in video games this season. Whether or not or not it’s a his 11.40 ERA in 1st innings, an .860 OPS allowed within the first time by way of the order or a 1.029 OPS on his first to twenty fifth pitch of an outing, it’s all unhealthy.
So when the Athletics put a pair on with a single and a stroll within the 1st forward of Brent Rooker within the clean-up spot, I assume most followers have been ready for the worst. However after a short assembly with Miguel Rojas, Urias’ 2-2 cutter was hit exhausting sufficient proper to Max Muncy at third to start out a double play and finish the inning.
The Dodgers additionally put two on within the 1st, with Freddie Freeman persevering with to completely dominate Oakland (and principally everybody) with a 1-out double. Amed Rosario reached on a 2-out error at brief by Aledmys Díaz which introduced Max Muncy to the plate. After working a full rely as JP Sears alternated balls and strikes to open the at-bat, Muncy fouled off a pair of balls to convey up the eighth pitch of the at-bat, which missed excessive to load the bases.
Nevertheless, Chris Taylor couldn’t repeat Wednesday’s 1st inning lead as Sears bounced again with a six-pitch strikeout to flee the jam.
Urias, who’s significantly better in 2nd innings with a 3.00 ERA and .612 OPS allowed, naturally completed the 2nd on simply 13 pitches with a pair of floor outs and a 3-2 slurve that froze JJ Bleday for strike three.
With Urias probably not set for an extended outing, the Dodgers did stored the offense going of their half of the 2nd as Kiké Hernández related on his third double in his first 18 at-bats again in Los Angeles. Then, contemporary off his first house run of the yr final evening, Miguel Rojas made it back-to-back 100+ mph doubles together with his shot down the left-field line.
A sacrifice bunt by Austin Barnes (positive, I suppose) led to Mookie Betts getting hit by a pitch on his ass, which supplied a second with A’s catcher Shea Langeliers. Sadly the Dodgers couldn’t capitalize any additional, as Freeman popped out and Will Smith struck out for the second time within the recreation (and eleventh time up to now eight video games).
Urias labored round a 2-out double within the third, together with snagging this two-out comebacker by Zack Gelof.
That meant he held an opponent scoreless by way of 3 innings for the primary time since July 14th in New York and solely the second time since he allowed simply 1 run in 7 innings to the Phillies on Might 2.
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As soon as once more, the underside of the Dodgers’ order got here by way of within the third to double the result in 2-0. Walks to Muncy and Hernandez introduced Rojas again as much as the plate and he promptly got here up with one other first-pitch double to left.
The 2 doubles have been a primary in 2023 for Rojas, who final had a multi extra-base hit recreation since September of final season with Miami. Moreover, the pair of RBIs have been a primary in 2023 for Rojas, with that final taking place in July of final yr.
Naturally after Dave Roberts admitted Urias could also be restricted, the lefty labored by way of the 4th on simply 52 pitches with one other two-out double ended up stranded.
Apparently each groups have been solely able to hitting doubles within the recreation as Freeman hit his second of the sport within the 4th, the fifth of the sport for the Dodgers and the seventh of the sport’s eight hits to that time. Los Angeles left him on the market with a fly out for Smith and a come out for Rosario, however had give you 5 balls going 100+ mph off Sears.
.@FreddieFreeman5 is having an unbelievable season for the @Dodgers. ?
That is his fortieth double of the season and his tenth multi-hit recreation in his final 15 video games. pic.twitter.com/Eew3BtbDcb
— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2023
Coming into the fifth with simply three misses, Urias continued his odd development of being significantly dominant within the inning. Holding a 0.75 ERA in fifth innings in 2023, together with a 12/1 Ok-BB ratio, Urias struck out the facet on 16 pitches. That included Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom taking place swinging on a change and slurve respectively.
That wrapped up his outing with 68 pitches thrown whereas permitting 3 hits and 1 stroll to the 5 strikeouts in 5 innings. In whole, Urias completed with 5 misses on 34 pitches with 3 of the 7 on the slurve.
Julio Urías, Ridiculous Slurve Motion. ?
19 inches of horizontal break pic.twitter.com/Pi6xodx2qS
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 4, 2023
Trying to construct the lead earlier than Sheehan entered the sport, the Dodgers as soon as once more introduced Rojas with an RBI alternative. A second hit batter within the recreation, this time Muncy, and a fielder’s alternative that didn’t document an out introduced Rojas to the plate with runners at first and second and only one away. Sears principally stored his pitches outdoors within the third assembly with Rojas after he’d been harm inside together with his sweeper and fastball. With a 1-1 sweeper grounded exhausting to brief, the Dodgers left one other man on base in opposition to Sears.
With 95 pitches thrown, permitting 6 hits and three walks, Sears escaped with simply the two runs scored and 5 strikeouts in his 5 innings of labor.
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Pitching out of the bullpen for the primary time in his main league profession, Sheehan hit 98 mph together with his fastball 3 times in opposition to Seth Brown. Sadly after getting one out, the fastball was despatched down the left-field line for a solo homer by Gelof to chop the lead right down to 2-1.
With Sears additionally gone, Lucas Erceg entered out of the league’s worst bullpen by ERA (5.49) and fWAR (-1.1), and allowed an infield single to Barnes and a curler up the center to Betts. After Freeman failed with a strikeout on three consecutive pitches, Smith delivered as he dropped in a single at simply 63.2 mph off the bat.
And that’s when all of it fell aside for the A’s. The throw house was not in time to get Barnes and allowed Betts to achieve third with Smith behind him at second. Rosario lined a double to proper, off a right-handed pitcher, to attain two extra and attain third on a wild throw in to second. David Peralta, hitting for Muncy who was hit on the wrist within the inning prior, then singled in Rosario to all of a sudden make it 6-1.
Erceg was left on the market to just about eat it at that time, with Taylor singling as nicely. Amazingly, his single at 98.1 mph was the toughest of the six hits within the inning to that time as not one of the different 5 broke 86 mph. The rally halted there although, with Hernandez grounding to 3rd for a pressure out and Jordan Diaz finishing the double play with a throw to first.
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Sheehan’s second inning did see his velocity come again down from 97 and 98 to 94 to 96, however a strikeout, stroll and double play made it a 12-pitch inning. The Athletics despatched one other fastball to the seats within the eighth, with Soderstrom hitting his first-career homer to proper on a 2-2 rely, however Sheehan escaped the inning with out some other injury.
The Dodgers’ offense went down to ensure that the primary time all evening within the seventh, however Freeman made positive former Dodger Zach Neal didn’t get by way of one other clear inning.
Freddie sends one out. ?? pic.twitter.com/DS2achqRXO
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 4, 2023
A stroll by Jason Heyward, a floor out for Peralta and a single by Taylor added the evening’s remaining run for the Dodgers within the eighth as nicely.
Holding a 6-run lead, the Dodgers despatched Sheehan out to the mound within the ninth to shut out the victory with a 4-inning save (the primary since Kenta Maeda in Septmber 2019 in line with Eric Stephen). A come out and a pair of strikeouts ended it with out a lot issue.
Sheehan’s remaining line for evening, 4 innings and 56 pitches with 2 runs allowed on 2 hits and 1 stroll allowed to three strikeouts. Regardless of the pair of homers, it was a stable first step for Sheehan out of the bullpen with 14 misses on 30 swings, together with 8 of 18 in opposition to the fastball, 3 of seven on the slider and three of 4 on the change.
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Not excellent with J.D. Martinez nonetheless lacking video games, however not on the IL.
Max Muncy left the sport with a left wrist contusion.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 4, 2023
The postgame replace:
Dave Roberts mentioned X-rays have been unfavorable on Max Muncy’s left wrist. Day-to-day for now. https://t.co/VigXYdPHiK
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) August 4, 2023
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| NL WEST | RECORD |
|---|---|
| Dodgers | 62-45 |
| Giants | 61-49 (2.5 GB) |
| Diamondbacks | 57-53 (6.5 GB) |
*Both nonetheless taking part in or will play later.
It’ll be Bobby Miller and Yu Darvish on the mound Friday evening because the Dodgers and Padres begin up a four-game sequence in San Diego. It’ll be Miller’s first recreation in opposition to the Padres and simply his second in opposition to the NL West, with the opposite being his very forgettable recreation in opposition to the Giants again in mid-June. Darvish will face the Dodgers for the second time in 2023 after permitting only one run in 6 2/3 innings again on Might 5. His 2.36 ERA in 11 video games in opposition to the Dodgers is Darvish’s fourth-best in opposition to all opponents in his profession with 10 of these begins coming with the Padres.
