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 somewhat 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 robust 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 almost 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 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 had been ready for the worst. However after a quick assembly with Miguel Rojas, Urias’ 2-2 cutter was hit laborious 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 utterly dominate Oakland (and mainly everybody) with a 1-out double. Amed Rosario reached on a 2-out error at quick by Aledmys Díaz which introduced Max Muncy to the plate. After working a full depend 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.

Nonetheless, 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 a lot 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 a protracted outing, the Dodgers did saved 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, recent off his first residence run of the yr final evening, Miguel Rojas made it back-to-back 100+ mph doubles along 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 sport (and eleventh time previously 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 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 Could 2.

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As soon as once more, the underside of the Dodgers’ order got here by 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 had been a primary in 2023 for Rojas, who final had a multi extra-base hit sport since September of final season with Miami. Moreover, the pair of RBIs had been a primary in 2023 for Rojas, with that final occurring in July of final yr.

Naturally after Dave Roberts admitted Urias could also be restricted, the lefty labored by the 4th on simply 52 pitches with one other two-out double ended up stranded.

Apparently each groups had been solely able to hitting doubles within the sport 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 sport 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 happening 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

Seeking 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 sport, this time Muncy, and a fielder’s alternative that did not file an out introduced Rojas to the plate with runners at first and second and only one away. Sears largely saved his pitches outdoors within the third assembly with Rojas after he’d been harm inside along with his sweeper and fastball. With a 1-1 sweeper grounded laborious to quick, the Dodgers left one other man on base towards 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 along with his fastball thrice towards 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 residence 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 immediately make it 6-1.

Erceg was left on the market to just about eat it at that time, with Taylor singling as effectively. 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 power 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 depend, however Sheehan escaped the inning with out every 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 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 closing run for the Dodgers within the eighth as effectively.

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 keeping with Eric Stephen). A come out and a pair of strikeouts ended it with out a lot issue.

Sheehan’s closing 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 towards the fastball, 3 of seven on the slider and three of 4 on the change.

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Not ideally suited 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 stated X-rays had been detrimental 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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*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 sport towards the Padres and simply his second towards the NL West, with the opposite being his very forgettable sport towards 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 Could 5. His 2.36 ERA in 11 video games towards the Dodgers is Darvish’s fourth-best towards all opponents in his profession with 10 of these begins coming with the Padres.