Rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson delivered a standout performance with two home runs and four runs batted in, as the Oakland Athletics overwhelmed the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-1 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The Athletics collected a season-high 18 hits and opened their three-game series with a decisive victory against one of baseball’s top teams.
Despite being listed as underdogs, with pregame betting odds placing them around +170 on the money line, the Athletics controlled the game from start to finish. The Dodgers, favored at approximately -200, could not respond offensively and struggled on the mound, marking a rare home loss for a team that entered with a 15-3 record at Dodger Stadium.
Wilson, a 23-year-old native of Los Angeles, led the offensive surge for Oakland. He went 4-for-5 at the plate, hitting two two-run home runs and driving in four total runs. His effort raised his batting average to .363, making him one of the most productive rookies in the American League. Wilson has 58 hits on the season, ranking second in Major League Baseball behind Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. His performance included his ninth multi-hit effort in his last 13 games and his second four-hit game in less than a week.
Oakland starter Jeffrey Springs turned in an efficient outing, holding the Dodgers to one unearned run on six hits over seven innings. He struck out four and issued no walks, improving his record to 5-3. Springs kept the Dodgers’ high-powered offense off balance and benefited from early run support as the Athletics built a commanding lead by the middle innings.
The Dodgers’ only run came in the third inning when Chris Taylor scored on a fielding error by Wilson, temporarily cutting Oakland’s lead to 2-1. However, that would be as close as Los Angeles would get. Landon Knack, making his fourth start for the Dodgers, allowed five runs on seven hits in four and two-thirds innings and took his first loss of the season, falling to 2-1.
Michael Conforto was a bright spot for the Dodgers, collecting three doubles and continuing an intense stretch at the plate. Will Smith added three hits, but the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup combined for just two hits, as the team struggled to generate offense.
Oakland’s dominance continued into the late innings, with back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning off Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, who was called on to pitch with the game out of reach. Miguel Andujar and JJ Bleday went deep on consecutive pitches, the latter coming off a 39-mph offering from Rojas. The Athletics finished the night with five home runs, their highest single-game total of the season.
The series continues on Wednesday, and right-hander Gunnar Hoglund is set to make his third start of the season for Oakland. Hoglund has posted a 1-0 record with a 2.38 ERA since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas. The Dodgers will counter with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who enters with a 4-3 record and a 1.80 ERA, aiming to rebound from the lopsided loss and help Los Angeles even the series.
