OAKLAND, Calif. – Jack Flaherty pitched six straight innings in his Dodgers debut and Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Oakland Athletics 10-0 on Saturday night.
“Any time you can help the team win, that’s the important part,” Flaherty said. “I’m going to take time tonight to take it all in. I’m really excited to be here and have the chance to contribute.”
Shohei Ohtani stole three bases for Los Angeles, giving him 31 on the season in addition to his 33 homers. This is only the fourth time a Dodgers player has made it to the 30-30 Club in one season and only three major league players have done it faster than Ohtani, who did it in the 111th game of the season. Eric Davis was the fastest to do so in 1987, when he reached Cincinnati’s 105th game.
Flaherty (8-5) had the best night in his first game since being purchased on Tuesday on a deadline deal from Detroit. It paid immediate dividends for a struggling Dodgers team that had lost five of six games before taking control in Oakland.
He allowed five hits, one walk and struck out five in an impressive performance. He ended his night by escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth, inducing two groundouts and a strikeout.
“I think we were all excited to see Jack take the mound and put on his Dodgers uniform,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He performed very well. There was a quiet intensity about him. He was very focused, very controlled. I just loved the way he used his whole pitch mix.”
The Dodgers’ starters had combined for a 5.88 ERA over the previous 28 games — second-worst in the majors over that span, contributing to the move to acquire Flaherty.
Gavin Lux gave Flaherty the lead in the third inning with a two-run single off Mitch Spence (7-7), leading the Dodgers to their second victory in seven games on this trip. Los Angeles now holds a 4 1/2 game lead in the NL West over San Diego.
The A’s won 10 of 14 games with 31 home runs before being defeated by Flaherty and the Los Angeles bullpen before an announced crowd of 35,207, the largest this season at the Coliseum.
Manager Mark Kotsay said the missed opportunity in the sixth was the key point of the game and pointed to a 2-0 pitch by Seth Brown, with one out that was ruled a strike, although replay showed it was low and out. From home. Brown attacked.
“It was clearly a ball,” Kotsay said. “That changed the outcome of the batting. That really changed the hitting. It’s a 3-0 count with Brownie on top. You never know what it does, but it definitely gives the hitter an advantage.
Ohtani stole two bases in the ninth and the Dodgers opened the game with six runs to make it 10-0, setting the stage for outfielder Kiké Hernandez to finish the game with a scoreless inning of relief for Los Angeles.
IN THE FARM
Dodgers prospect Cameron Decker had a night to remember on Friday. Decker had six hits and 10 RBIs for Class A Rancho Cucamonga in a 17-5 win over San Jose in the California League. No other minor league player has had at least six hits and 10 RBIs in a game since 2005.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (right triceps strain) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session in what manager Dave Roberts called a “big step.” Yamamoto will have another session on Tuesday. “We’re moving in the right direction,” Roberts said. … INF/OF Mookie Betts (fractured left hand) plans to return to the lineup on August 12 or 13.
Athletics: Closer Mason Miller had his cast removed due to his broken left pinky finger and threw the ball before the game. He is expected to take live batting practice on Monday. … RHP Dany Jiménez (strained left oblique) had a live BP on Saturday and will join Triple-A Las Vegas for a rehab assignment on Tuesday.
NEXT
RHP River Ryan (1-0, 0.82 ERA) starts the series finale for the Dodgers against RHP Osvaldo Bido (2-2, 5.00).
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