OAKLAND, Calif.—Kiké Hernandez had two doubles and two RBIs, and Cavan Biggio added a run-scoring single as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics 3–2 on Sunday to snap a streak of five consecutive road series losses.
Dodgers rookie starter River Ryan allowed two runs on five hits, with four strikeouts and three walks, in 4 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander did not figure in the decision and remained unbeaten through three career starts.
“Just trying to do my part,” Hernandez said. “We’ve been struggling as a team, and I believe that if I’m anywhere close to the hitter that I’m capable of being, we’ll be in a better shape.
“I’ve been in somewhat of a better stretch the last week or two, and I’m just trying to stay there and be consistent. ... Glad we won this game and this series. ... Hopefully we can get the ball rolling.”
Alex Vesia (2–3) struck out two batters in the seventh inning and received credit for the victory. He was one of five Los Angeles relievers who combined for six strikeouts and no walks in 4 1/3 innings of one-hit ball. Anthony Banda pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save in his second opportunity.
Evan Phillips entered in relief of Ryan and inherited a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the fifth inning. He struck out Brent Rooker looking, ending the threat.
“It was a big moment for Evan,” Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s a guy that I certainly believe in, that he can manage success. He can manage some hard times, and still find a way to kind of mentally, you know, reset, and I thought the last two were really good outings.”
Rooker hit his 28th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning, for Oakland, which had won five of its previous eight games going into Sunday.
“He just continues to keep impressing, and I think the focus for him right now is just to help the team win, which is awesome,” A’s Manager Mark Kotsay said. “We did our job offensively. We just couldn’t get to the bullpen.”
Oakland’s series loss snapped a run of 4–0–1 in its previous five series, against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Angels (twice) and Houston Astros, with a split of a two-game set with San Francisco.
Oakland starter Osvaldo Bido (2–3) allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings. with six strikeouts and three walks.
Hernandez’s two-out, two-run double in the top of the first inning scored Gavin Lux and Teoscar Hernandez to give Los Angeles an early lead. Kiké Hernandez added another double in the sixth inning.
Oakland tied the score at 2–2 when Rooker turned on a first-pitch fastball from Ryan for a 429-foot homer that also scored JJ Bleday, who had singled.
The Dodgers scored the go-ahead run in the third inning when Biggio singled in Jason Heyward, who had reached on a one-out single and took second on Lawrence Butler’s throwing error.
Trainer’s Room
Dodgers: First baseman Freddie Freeman could rejoin the team in Los Angeles this week after leaving due to a family emergency, Roberts said. Freeman’s 3-year-old son, Maximus, is suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, and returned home after eight days in the hospital ICU, the All-Star and his wife said in a social-media post Sunday.Up Next
Dodgers: Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (8–6, 3.50 earned-run average) is set to start Monday’s opener of a three-game home series against the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Glasnow is 0-1 with a 6.42 ERA over his past four starts. Right-hander Aaron Nola (11–4, 3.43) is Philadelphia’s scheduled starter. The Phillies swept a three-game series from the Dodgers last month in Philadelphia.Athletics: Left-hander JP Sears (8–8, 4.53) is scheduled to open a series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday in Oakland. Sears is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in two career starts against Chicago. Right-hander Jonathan Cannon (1–5, 4.11) is set to start for the White Sox, who lost their 20th consecutive game Sunday, the majors’ longest skid in 36 years and one short of the American League record.
