Betts hits 29th homer, Canada’s Freeman stays hot as Dodgers rout lowly Athletics
LOS ANGELES — All-Stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman placed on a present early, then took the remainder of the evening off.
Betts hit his twenty ninth homer, Freeman went 3 for 4 and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the lowly Oakland Athletics 10-1 on Wednesday evening.
Betts launched a 436-foot shot — his longest with the Dodgers — into the left-field pavilion off Hogan Harris (2-6) for his seventieth RBI within the second, when Los Angeles scored 4 runs to steer 7-0. Betts doubled main off the primary and struck out earlier than sitting down for good within the prime of the fourth.
Freeman hit his main league-leading thirty seventh and thirty eighth doubles and singled. He scored twice and drove in one other run earlier than being pulled within the seventh. He was 4 for five in a 7-3 win within the sequence opener.
Although Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. is the favourite for NL MVP, Betts and Freeman are making their circumstances, too.
“He’s definitely in the MVP conversation,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned of Freeman, “and Mookie is not that far behind him.”
Tony Gonsolin (6-4) allowed one run and 5 hits over 5 innings in his first profession look in opposition to Oakland. The right-hander struck out three and walked two after laboring in his final outing.
“Really good defense,” Gonsolin mentioned of his teammates, who turned two double performs. “Felt like I used to be throwing extra strikes, which was nice.”
Miguel Rojas prolonged the result in 8-1 within the third along with his first homer since June 26, 2022, for Miami, incomes the silent remedy from his teammates within the dugout. Jason Heyward, who changed Betts, homered on the primary pitch from Kirby Snead within the sixth.
Rojas had his dwelling run ball resting in his locker after the sport.
“Our hitting coach has been working a lot of hours with me,” he mentioned. “I expect a lot from me, at least to be more productive on a daily basis. If I can get myself going these last two months, it’s going to be important for us.”
In the second, Freeman scored on Will Smith’s double. Amed Rosario adopted and went deep on the primary pitch for his fourth homer total this season and first with the Dodgers since being traded by Cleveland final week.
The A’s have misplaced six of eight and dropped a season-worst 49 video games beneath .500.
“These are games we expect to win,” Roberts mentioned. “We’re taking care of business and that’s the sign of a very good ballclub.”
It’s the primary time the A’s have been that far under since ending the 1979 season 54 video games beneath at 54-108. They are on tempo to complete 45-117, which might tie the franchise document for losses set by the 1916 Philadelphia A’s.
For the second straight evening, there have been chants of “Sell the team” within the prime of the fifth. A’s supporters had urged Dodgers followers by way of social media to name out proprietor John Fisher, who desires to maneuver the workforce to Las Vegas and finish the membership’s 55-year run within the Bay Area.
“It’s a very good fan base, a very loyal fan base,” Roberts mentioned. “They’re disgruntled and they have the right to voice their opinions.”
The Dodgers led 3-0 within the first. Freeman’s RBI single scored Betts. Freeman scored on Chris Taylor’s infield hit with the bases loaded. James Outman grounded right into a fielder’s selection that scored Smith.
The A’s obtained the leadoff hitter aboard within the first 4 innings, however solely had a solo homer from Shea Langeliers within the third to indicate for it.
Harris misplaced his sixth in a row, giving up a season-worst eight runs and 9 hits over three innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked three.
Tony Kemp made a spectacular effort on a foul ball off Freeman’s bat within the sixth. He almost went all the best way over the decrease wall in left subject however was held up by followers within the entrance row. A dejected Kemp walked slowly again to his spot as the gang applauded him. He was changed within the seventh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: DH J.D. Martinez will undergo a full exercise Thursday and may be accessible for the sequence finale. “It’s hard to pinpoint, but the epicenter of this is the back and manifesting itself in the hamstrings and groin,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.
SCULLY ANNIVERSARY
Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully died a yr in the past Wednesday at age 94. The grounds crew raked the letters V-I-N within the dust earlier than grooming the infield forward of the sport.
Scully was on the thoughts of followers, a few of whom wore jerseys along with his title on the again and watched the re-airing of a TV phase about his profession on the videoboards. Dodgers broadcasters Rick Monday and Charley Steiner recalled their years of recollections with Scully throughout the sport’s radio name.
UP NEXT
Athletics: LHP JP Sears (2-7, 4.09 ERA) makes his team-leading twenty first begin within the sequence finale. He’ll face the Dodgers for the primary time in his profession. He is 2-1 with a 2.94 ERA in six interleague begins.
Dodgers: LHP Julio Urias (7-6, 4.98) has been coping with a difficulty on the index finger of his pitching hand that triggered his begin to be pushed again two days
