Dodgers set up rout of last-place A’s with massive scoring early

Facing the worst team in baseball, the NL West-leading Dodgers are doing exactly what you would expect out of them, promptly dismantling Oakland the A’s so far in this home series. On Wednesday evening, by a couple of innings in this game had already become laugher, ending in a 10-1 win for the Dodgers.

With crooked numbers in both the first and second inning, the Dodgers took complete control of this one, setting up a rather stress-free outing for Tony Gonsolin. This was important, given that the Dodgers’ starter was coming off one of his most laboring outings last week, with a career-high pitch count against the Texas Rangers.

Betts and Freeman should be co-MVPs

As things stand, Ronald Acuña Jr. is the odds-on favorite to take home the NL MVP, but both Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are doing their best to make that a proper race. And will likely only be hurt by the fact they’ll steal votes from each other.

In both the first and second innings, Mookie Betts laid the groundwork for a big inning, being the first Dodger to reach in each of them, with a leadoff double in the first, and a one-out solo shot in the second.

That Betts’ second-inning homer was the first in a sequence of four straight extra-base hits. Freeman and Will Smith followed up with two straight doubles, before Amed Rosario capped things off with a two-run shot, to make it a 7-0 game.

A’s starter Hogan Harris will most certainly not leave this series with the most fond memories of Dodger Stadium, having left his outing with eight earned runs allowed over three frames, which included more hard-hit balls (10), than outs recorded (9).

Gonsolin carrying consistency across five solid frames

The Dodgers’ starter, as stated above, labored heavily in his last outing, needing 25 more pitches to get the same number of outs (15), he got in this start against the A’s.

Pitching with an enormous lead for the bulk of his evening, Gonsolin was able to pitch more freely, and the right-hander did the most with it, allowing, but one of seven baserunners to come across home plate.

With the game well in hand, Dave Roberts opted to bring in the bullpen, as Gonsolin had only 84 pitches. Taking full advantage of a favorable situation brought forth by this outstanding offense. And let’s face it, facing an A’s pitching staff with a 5.82 ERA.

Rojas ends home run drought

One of the more heartwarming moments of the evening came in the third frame, as Miguel Rojas capped the scoring off A’s starter with a solo homer.

It was the first long ball for the veteran since his return to Chavez Ravine, earning him the old silent treatment in the dugout.

It had been over a full year since Rojas had last homered in the big leagues, with his previous one coming in late June, last season, still with the Miami Marlins.

After Rojas’ homer, the Dodgers played mostly in cruise control, still adding a couple more before the night was done. Those came on a Jason Heyward homer, his first off a lefty in 2023, as the veteran replaced Mookie Betts in the middle innings, giving him a breather, and later on, on a Kiké Hernández RBI knock.

Wednesday particulars

Home runs: Mookie Betts (29), Amed Rosario (4), Miguel Rojas (1), Jason Heyward (11); Shea Langeliers (11)

WP — Tony Gonsolin (6-4): 5 IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP — Hogan Harris (2-6): 3 IP, 9 hits, 8 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers will look for the series sweep on Thursday night (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), the same time, as they welcome back Julio Urías after a bit of uncertainty with his left index finger. On the opposite side of the thrill, the A’s will roll with lefty JP Sears.