Los Angeles Dodgers’ Will Smith watches his RBI single through the first inning of the crew’s baseball recreation in opposition to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Picture/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES – Walker Buehler proved he and his fickle proper index finger are playoff prepared, Corey Seager homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Thursday evening to earn their main league-leading 40th victory of the shortened 60-game season.
The Dodgers clinched home-field benefit all through the playoffs that start subsequent week.
“If I seemed again a pair months in the past, forty was a quantity we have been sort of taking pictures for,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.
Buehler allowed one hit in 4 innings, struck out six and walked one in his first profession look in opposition to the A’s.
“His fastball, he had it going,” Oakland leadoff hitter Tommy La Stella mentioned. “Throwing it for strikes, throwing the breaking ball effectively.”
Buehler returned earlier within the day after lacking 12 video games with a blister on his finger that landed him on the injured checklist twice within the final four half of weeks.
“My stuff was most likely pretty much as good because it has been this yr,” he mentioned.
Buehler threw 65 pitches, sufficient to substantiate his standing as a starter within the NL wild-card playoff that the Dodgers will host. He had not pitched since Sept. eight at Arizona, the place he lasted simply 2 2/Three innings earlier than leaving with finger points.
Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor hops over Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson, who was compelled out on a double play hit into by Ramon Laurean through the second inning of a baseball recreation Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Picture/ Marcio Jose Sanchez)
He known as former Dodgers pitcher Wealthy Hill, who has a historical past of blisters.
“He’s an awesome useful resource. He’s undoubtedly helped,” mentioned Buehler, including that Hill prompt remedy choices and mentally deal with the blister. “There’s some bizarre components about having a blister. Transferring ahead, I hope it is not an issue.”
Dylan Floro (Three-Zero) obtained the victory, pitching one inning of aid and hanging out one.
The A’s struck out 16 occasions in opposition to six Dodgers pitchers.
“There’s actually not a weak hyperlink within the chain,” mentioned La Stella, who whiffed twice. “However that’s what you’d anticipate from a playoff crew like they’ve been the final a number of years.”
Seager went deep — the Dodgers’ 108th homer of the season — on the primary pitch from Mike Fiers main off the third for a 2-Zero lead. Will Smith snapped an Zero-for-10 skid with a RBI single within the first.
The Dodgers tacked on three extra runs within the sixth once they despatched eight batters to the plate. Reliever Jesus Luzardo gave up consecutive doubles to Will Smith and Cody Bellinger and walked AJ Pollock to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández adopted with a RBI single, Luzardo walked Chris Taylor to power in a run, and Seager’s sacrifice fly to the warning observe in centre made it 5-Zero.
Oakland’s lone run got here on Sean Murphy’s homer within the eighth.
Fiers (6-Three) gave up two runs and 5 hits in 5 innings. The best-hander struck out three and walked one. Fiers uncovered the Astros’ signal stealing scandal in 2017, when the Dodgers misplaced the World Sequence to Houston.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP J.B. Wendelken went on the IL, though the crew did not say why. RHP James Kaprielian was recalled from the alternate website for the fourth time this season.
TAKING IT OUT ON THE CUTOUTS
Pollock removed two foul balls by firing them into the decrease left subject seats, with the cardboard cutouts serving as a taking pictures gallery of types.
Pollock rotated and blasted them into the seats. If it had been a carnival, he may have earned a stuffed animal with two extra potshots.
Teammate Mookie Betts obtained a foul ball later within the fourth inning and threw it into the visiting bullpen behind him in proper.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Chris Bassitt (5-2, 2.57 ERA) begins Friday in opposition to Seattle within the opener of a four-game set. He hasn’t allowed a run in two of his final three begins and is Three-Zero with a Zero.46 ERA over that span.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.25) begins Friday’s opener at house in opposition to the Angels. He’s 7-2 in 12 profession begins in opposition to the Halos with a 2.45 ERA.
Extra AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and