Los Angeles Dodgers Freddie Freeman (5) congratulates Mookie Betts (51) after Betts hits his 29th home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Oakland A’s at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wed Aug 2, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Dodgers mauled the Oakland A’s Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium in the Southland. The Dodgers scored early and often in the first two innings to cruise to an easy win over the hapless A’s.

The A’s sent lefty Hogan Harris to the hill to face the potent Dodger offense. The A’s hoped Harris could find a way to dazzle the Dodger hitters. Guess what, fans? Harris ended up throwing batting practice. The Dodgers scored three in the first and four in the second to virtually end the contest.

The Dodger pitchers were confident they could stop the pathetic A’s offense, and the Dodger pitchers did that. They held the A’s to one run and six hits as they blasted Oakland 10-1.

The Dodgers put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, a former AL MVP with Boston, doubled to get things going for LA. Freddie Freeman, a former NL MVP with the Atlanta Braves, singled to give LA an early 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers’ All-Star catcher Will Smith walked to put men on at first and second with no out. Harris retired Amed Rosario for the first out. Harris walked Max Muncy to load the bases. Chris Taylor reached on an infield single, and Freeman scored the second run. Redwood City’s gift to the Dodgers, James Outman, hit into a fielder’s choice. Will Smith crossed the plate with the game’s third run for LA.

The Dodgers hitters continued to punish Harris. Betts led off the second inning with his 29th home run of the year. Back-to-back-doubles by Freeman and Smith gave the Dodgers a 5-0 lead. The Dodgers’ Rosario hit his first home run as a team member to give Los Angeles a comfortable lead 7-0 after two innings.

The A’s scored their only run of the game in the top of the third. Catcher Shea Langeliers blasted his 11th round-tripper of the season to make it 7-1. The Dodgers’ pitchers held the A’s scoreless the rest of the way.

LA scored one in the third when Miguel Rojas homered. It was Rojas’ first home run this year. LA added one more in the sixth when Jason Heyward homered. Heyward replaced Betts in the fourth inning. Dodger manager Dave Roberts saw Betts double and homer in three trips to the plate in the game’s first three innings. Roberts would replace Freeman shortly after that.

The Dodgers finished the scoring in the seventh. With one out, Outman doubled. Kike Hernandez singled to drive in Outman with LA’s 10th run of the game.

Game Notes: Will the loss, the A’s are now 30-79. The Dodgers improved to 61-45

The line score for Oakland was one run, six hits, and no errors. LA’s line was ten runs, 13 hits, and no errors. Tony Gonsolin was the winning pitcher. Harris took the loss. 

Freeman had three hits in the game. He hit his 37th and 38th double of the year. He leads all of baseball in that department. Freeman has hit safely in his last seven at-bats against the A’s. 

A’s pitcher James Kaprileian underwent arthroscopic surgery Wednesday in Los Angeles. Kaprielian will be out for the rest of the season.

The A’s will conclude the series with the Dodgers Thursday night in LA at 7:10pm PT. It will be a battle of lefties. For Oakland Sears is 2-7 and has a 4.09 ERA. Julio Urias (7-6, 4.98) goes for the Dodgers.