WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer to support Eric Lauer in his conventional return to the starting rotation as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Athletics 9-4 on Monday night.
Max Muncy and Andy Pages also homered and joined Ohtani in a group of eight Dodgers with two hits apiece. Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts earned his 999th career victory.
Lauer (4-5) allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings, seven days after pitching six hitless innings of bulk relief and getting the win against Minnesota. The left-hander struck out two and walked one in his sixth appearance for the Dodgers and fifth start since they acquired him from Toronto for cash on May 17.
Kyle Hurt set down all three hitters he faced in the seventh on swinging strikeouts. Jonathan Hernández retired four batters and Jack Dreyer got the final two outs in the ninth.
Colby Thomas homered for the A’s, who have lost seven of nine.
The game was played before a sold-out crowd at the A’s temporary home of Sutter Health Park. Most fans were clad in blue and white and repeatedly cheered loudly for the MLB-leading Dodgers (55-30).
Ohtani’s 18th home run this season off reliever Matt Krook in the sixth landed on the grass hill behind the bullpens and drew the loudest applause.
Muncy hit his 17th home run off A’s starter Gage Jump in the fourth. Miguel Rojas followed with a double before Pages hit his 16th homer three batters later to make it 5-3.
The A’s led 3-2 in the second following Thomas’ home run and three consecutive singles, including Joshua Kuroda-Grauer’s first career hit. Kuroda-Grauer later singled and doubled to finish with three hits.
Jump (3-2) allowed five runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Up next
Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (9-2, 2.71 ERA) faces A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-7, 5.52) on Tuesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Michael Wagaman, The Associated Press
