Jack Flaherty cools off Guardians to keep Dodgers hot
09/08/2024 06:41 PM
Flaherty pitched into the 8th inning for the first time in almost five years. Amid 103-degree heat at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy homered.
LOS ANGELES — On one of the hottest days ever at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers found an oasis in trade deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty, who pitched 7⅓ scoreless innings to beat the Guardians 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.
Flaherty allowed just four hits and no walks while striking out six, After a leadoff single by José Ramírez in the fourth inning, Flaherty retired 12 batters in a row, beginning with a nifty line drive double play that Max Muncy leapt to catch.
Sunday marked the fifth time Flaherty pitched into the eighth inning in his career, and the first time since September 19, 2019 with the Cardinals. He left after a one-out single in the eighth inning, but Michael Kopech got out of the inning to preserve a two-run advantage.
The Dodgers rotation desperately needed someone like Flaherty, especially now with starters Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and Clayton Kershaw all on the injured list and their October readiness very much a question mark. Flaherty with the Dodgers had a 2.61 ERA in his seven starts, with 47 strikeouts against only 10 walks in 41⅓ innings, leading the team in innings and strikeouts since he arrived.
That Flaherty's deep start came directly after Saturday's seven-pitcher bullpen game was a cherry on top of his Sunday.
"You have to have a guy you feel can take down 24 or 25 hitters, when they get stressed once or twice, to trust that they can find a way to navigate through, manage it and keep going," manager Dave Roberts said of Flaherty before Sunday's start. "When you have guys where you're afraid of the third time through, it puts a toll on the 'pen, and that's a tough way to live if you have consecutive starters like that. To have a guy like Jack, it's a good thing."
In a game that started with a first-pitch temperature of 103 degrees — matching Game 1 of the 2017 World Series as the hottest start to any game in Dodger Stadium history — and maintained that temperature throughout the game, runs were difficult to come by for both teams.
Luckily the Dodgers have a few guys at the top of the lineup to help with that.
Mookie Betts tripled to open the fourth inning and later scored on a Will Smith single. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out that inning but could not tack on.
Shohei Ohtani added the insurance an inning later, hitting a towering home run nearly over the loge section down the right field foul line for his 46th home run of the season, making him the first player in major league history with 46 home runs and 46 stolen bases.
Max Muncy added a solo shot in a two-run eighth inning that helped the Dodgers improve to 7-0-2 in their last nine series.
Sunday particulars
Home runs: Shohei Ohtani (46), Max Muncy (12)
WP — Jack Flaherty (12-6): 7⅓ IP, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts
LP — Tanner Bibee (11-7): 5 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts
Up next
The Dodgers continue their 2016 Fall Classic homestand, welcoming the Cubs to town next. Walker Buehler starts the opener on Monday night (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA), with Kyle Hendricks on the mound for Chicago.
