Athletics Drop Game Two to the Dodgers 9-3

Four LA homers doom the A’s

After a dominant 11-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last night at Chavez Ravine, the Athletics faced off against them again tonight in game two of the three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The A’s sent 25-year-old rookie righty Gunnar Hoglund to the mound to face 26-year-old righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers.

Yamamoto made quick work of the top of the A’s order in the first, but Hoglund did not have the same luck. Three pitches into his start, Shohei Ohtani launched one midway up the rightfield bleachers to give the Dodgers a quick 1-0 lead.

Shea Langeliers led the second inning off with a walk. With two outs he stole second but was stranded there when JJ Bleday grounded out to Freddie Freeman at first. Andy Pages put Hoglund’s first pitch of the second inning deep into the left field stands, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Luis Urías singled on a hot shot down the third base line to open the third. Michael Conforto’s quick reaction kept him at first. But it didn’t matter when Tyler Soderstrom launched his 10^th homer of the season into straight away center. Midway through the third the score was all tied at two.

Langeliers led off the fourth with a walk. After Butler’s second K of the night, Miguel Andujar doubled down the line, scoring Langeliers from first. In the middle of the fourth, the A’s held a 3-2 lead.

Hyeseong Kim hit his first MLB home run to lead off the fifth. That tied the game at three.

Hoglund walked the first batter of the sixth, Pages on four pitches. Conforto singled to left field and Tyler Soderstrom gunned Pages out on a bullet to third baseman Miguel Andujar. That was Hoglund’s final pitch of the night. Hogan Harris replaced him. Hoglund’s final line was 5.1 innings, four runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out five but also gave up three homers on the night. Pinch hitter Miguel Rojas doubled to centerfield scoring Conforto to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. Ohtani followed with an infield hit to third. That was all for Harris, who was replaced by Michel Otañez. He was able to get Mookie Betts out on a fly ball to shallow right field to end the inning.

Tyler Ferguson replaced Otañez. Enrique Hernández singled to lead off the eighth. Ohtani was intentionally walked, and Mookie Betts cleared the bases with double to center field. Freddie Freeman walked. Will Smith grounded out to second, but both runners advanced. OG Max Muncy homered, scoring Betts and Freeman. Ferguson gave up five runs to bring the score to 9-3.

Ben Casparius slammed the door in the ninth to end the game and give the Dodgers the victory.