OAKLAND — Despite another home run by Brent Rooker, the Oakland A’s saw their impressive streak of not losing a series end at five on Sunday after the Los Angeles Dodgers escaped with a 3-2 victory in their last trip to the Oakland Coliseum.
Kike Hernandez had two doubles and two RBIs and Cavan Biggio added a single to give the Dodgers two of three series wins, snapping LA’s six-game road series losing streak.
Rooker hit his 28th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning, for Oakland, which had won five of its last eight games before Sunday. It was Rooker’s third home run in his last five games.
“He continues to impress and I think his focus right now is just to help the team win, which is great,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said.
“We did our job offensively, but we couldn’t get to the bullpen.”
Oakland’s series loss snapped a 4-0-1 streak in its previous five series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels (twice) and Houston Astros, with a two-game series split with the Giants.
Dodgers starting pitcher River Ryan allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander was not involved in the decision and remained undefeated in three career starts.
“I’m just trying to do my part,” Hernandez said. “We’ve struggled as a team, and I think if I’m close to the hitter I’m capable of being, we’ll be in a better position.”
“I’ve been in a better phase the last few weeks and I’m just trying to stay in that shape and be consistent. I’m happy we won this game and this series, we’re going home to play a really good team and hopefully we can get things going.”
Former Cal State East Bay star pitcher Alex Vesia (2-3) struck out two batters in the seventh inning to earn the Dodgers’ last win in Oakland.
The left-hander was one of five Los Angeles relievers who had six strikeouts and no walks in 4 1/3 one-hit innings. Anthony Banda pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save in his second opportunity.
Dodgers closer Evan Phillips, demoted, replaced Ryan and inherited a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the fifth inning. He struck out Rooker, ending the threat.
“It was a big moment for Evan,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s a guy I really believe in, who knows how to handle success, handle some tough times and find a way to get back on his feet mentally. I thought the last two outings were really good.”
Oakland starter Osvaldo Bido (2-3) allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings with six strikeouts and three walks.
Hernandez’s two-out, two-run double in the top of the first scored Gavin Lux and Teoscar Hernandez and gave Los Angeles the lead in the top of the inning. He added a double in the sixth.
Oakland tied the score at 2 when Rooker hit a fastball on Ryan’s first pitch for a 429-foot home run that also scored JJ Bleday, who had singled.
The Dodgers scored the deciding run in the third inning when Biggio singled to score Jason Heyward.
FOLLOWING
The A’s will send left-hander J.P. Sears (8-8, 4.53 ERA) to the mound Monday when Oakland opens a series against the White Sox, who lost their 20th straight game Sunday, the longest major league losing streak in 36 years and one shy of the American League record. Sears is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in two career starts against Chicago. Right-hander Jonathan Cannon (1-5, 4.11 ERA) will start for the White Sox.
