Roki Sasaki turned in the best start of his young career and the Los Angeles Dodgers bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Dodgers’ win snapped a five-game losing streak at Citizens Bank Park, which dated back to June 2023.
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They fell into an early deficit as Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner hit back-to-back singles with nobody out in the bottom of the first inning. Sasaki limited the damage to just one run and that seemingly propelled him forward.
The Phillies did not have another baserunner until Bryce Harper’s leadoff walk in the fourth inning. Nothing came of that, however, as Sasaki quickly retired the next three batters faced.
Sasaki leaned heavily on his fastball and splitter to get through four-plus innings. The longest start of his career produced four strikeouts against two walks.
There was noted improvement across the board for the 23-year-old, as Sasaki validated the Dodgers’ ongoing confidence in him.
Sasaki did exit after a leadoff walk and base hit to start the bottom of the fifth inning. Anthony Banda stranded the inherited runners, with some help on Teoscar Hernández turning a likely game-tying sacrifice fly into an inning-ending double play after catching a line drive in right field.
As Sasaki was keeping the Phillies in check, Kiké Hernández provided the Dodgers with a lead by ambushing the first pitch he saw from Aaron Nola for a two-run home run in the second inning. That gave Hernández three hits this season, with each being a homer.
Michael Conforto hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to provide the Dodgers with some breathing room. Max Muncy led all players and matched the Phillies’ team total in hits as he went 3-for-4.
Muncy’s double and two singles came against Nola, who previously had held him to a career 1-for-21 with 11 strikeouts.
Dodgers bullpen shines
Following Banda working out of trouble in the fifth, Ben Casparius pitched two perfect innings. Alex Vesia struck out three and stranded a hit batter in the eighth, and Tanner Scott worked around a leadoff infield single to convert his third save of the season. He did so on just three pitches.
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