LOS ANGELES — Hitting in the major leagues is more difficult than it’s ever been.
Just ask the Seattle Mariners.
Last in the majors in batting average and first in strikeouts, the Mariners came to L.A. this week and made the Dodgers feel better about their pitching staff. The Dodgers allowed just seven runs and 19 hits to the Mariners, completing a three-game sweep with an 8-4 victory Wednesday night.
The NL West-leading Dodgers have responded to the challenge from the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks by winning 10 of their past 13 games, including the past four in a row. Both teams are four games back now.
“What we did with those starters this series was a clinic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of getting the Mariners’ starting pitcher out of the game before the end of the fifth inning in two of the three games. “You can argue that starting staff over there is tops in baseball. Grinding those guys, getting to the ’pen, was one of our more impressive three-game series as far as getting to the starters.”
This was anticipated as the homestand when the Dodgers would start to get healthy – at least in the daily lineup.
Health has been a good thing. Since returning from his hand injury 10 days ago, Betts is batting .300 (12 for 40) with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBIs and five multi-hit games. Muncy is a more recent arrival, but he is 4 for 10 with home runs in each of his first two games back and two doubles Wednesday.
Muncy said it was “a relief” to hit the ground running after being out since mid-May.
“Definitely unexpected for me. But it felt good,” Muncy said. “I’m just trying to keep things simple and I got some good results out there.”
Seven of the Dodgers’ 10 hits were doubles and seven of the eight runs scored with two outs in an inning.
They scored twice on a Mookie Betts double in the third inning then again in the fourth when Teoscar Hernandez singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and trotted home on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly, Mariners center fielder Victor Robles crashing into the wall to make the catch.
Shohei Ohtani got the Dodgers’ big inning going by walking with one out in the fifth inning. He promptly stole second base, moving one home run and one stolen base away from the sixth 40-40 season in MLB history.
After a wild pitch, Freddie Freeman doubled Ohtani in and the Dodgers kept going from there, getting a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double by Max Muncy during the five-run inning.
“It’s as deep a lineup as you’re going to find,” Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty said. “One after the other, what they did to a pitching staff is impressive. It was just one after another relentless.”
The Mariners got to Flaherty for their first run of the game in the second inning – kind of by accident.
Flaherty hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch. Arozarena stole second base and went to third on a Justin Turner single, one of just five hits allowed by Flaherty in his 5⅔ innings.
Flaherty has made four starts for the Dodgers since being acquired at the trade deadline. He describes them as “okay for me.” The Dodgers have won three of those four starts and Flaherty has a 3.22 ERA. But he has completed six innings just once now.
“I feel like I came over in a good spot and I’ve kind of hit the weirdest funk I’ve been in all year,” Flaherty aid. “I’m kind of nibbling, not getting deep in games, not quite being as sharp, just missing. Tonight was all of that – just missing, falling behind, getting into bad counts. I still was able to get guys out and make pitches which is good.”
The Mariners needed help to score their second run as well. They scored in the sixth inning thanks to an error by second baseman Gavin Lux and a bases-loaded walk by Anthony Banda. But in the three-game sweep, the Dodgers held the Mariners to a .196 average (19 for 97) with 26 strikeouts, firming up their lowly standing in both categories.
Mookie with the hit
Shohei with the wheels. pic.twitter.com/DqoIrHw9gF— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 22, 2024
MAX MUNCY!
He clears the bases with a double to right and extends the #Dodgers lead, 8-1. pic.twitter.com/taSGpfAqEA
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 22, 2024
Max Muncy reflects on his first series back from the IL. pic.twitter.com/5l28dicQ7a
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 22, 2024
"It's as deep of a lineup that you're going to find… It's fun to watch." Jack Flaherty on the Dodgers' offense, his outing and his exchange with Randy Arozarena. pic.twitter.com/XUP35Phgzw
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 22, 2024
