PHILADELPHIA — During Roki Sasaki’s first two starts, the Dodgers had to use their imagination to visualize the pitcher they believe he can be.
On a chilly Saturday in Philadelphia, they at least got a glimpse of it. Sasaki retired 12 of 13 batters at one point and pitched into the fifth inning for the first time in his three MLB starts, allowing just one run as the Dodgers beat the Phillies 3-1.
The poor weather and hitter-friendly environment of Citizens Bank Park – not to mention the Phillies’ challenging lineup – didn’t seem to make Saturday a likely spot for Sasaki to take a step forward. Back-to-back singles by Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner in the first inning put the young right-hander in trouble quickly.
But he struck out Bryce Harper with a splitter, the first of nine batters in a row Sasaki retired. He walked Harper to start the fourth inning but retired the side after that, making it though four innings on 55 pitches with just one walk after walking 10 in 4⅔ innings over his first two starts.
Less was more for Sasaki. Fifty-three of those 55 pitches were either his four-seam fastball (which averaged 96.9 mph – still down from its 100-mph hype) or splitter. He threw just two sliders in the four innings.
He put that fastball in the strike zone more consistently and as a result got the Phillies to swing at his splitter 10 times, missing five. Over his first two starts as he struggled with his command, Sasaki got the Cubs and Braves to swing at just 10 of 30 splitters and miss only twice.
When he walked JT Realmuto and gave up a single to Bryson Stott to start the fifth inning, Sasaki’s day was over. Anthony Banda came in and escaped damage thanks to Teoscar Hernandez.
With runners on the corners and one out, Schwarber lined a ball to Hernandez in right field. Stott was running from first base and couldn’t get back in time to beat Hernandez’s throw doubling him off.
Sasaki left the game with a 2-1 lead thanks to Kiké Hernandez, who hooked a curveball from Phillies starter Aaron Nola into the seats down the left-field line for a two-run home run in the second inning. It was just Hernandez’s third hit of the season – but all three have been home runs.
Michael Conforto added a solo home run in the sixth inning, giving a little more cushion to the Dodgers’ bullpen. They didn’t need it. Starting with Banda, Dodgers relievers retired 10 in a row and 13 of the final 15 Phillies batters to close out a four-hitter.
More to come on this story.
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