Recap: Emmet Sheehan shines again as Dodgers hold off Astros (2024)

ByJack Harris

Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivers during the first inning of a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Baseball wisdom says to build momentum, you have to have pitching.

This week, the Dodgers have found plenty of both.

In their third straight win Friday night, a 3-2 defeat of the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium, it was the Dodgers’ once-maligned pitching staff that again led the way.

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ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — FINAL

Top of the ninth: Mauricio Dubon, Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman each grounded out to give Brusdar Graterol the save and preserve the Dodgers’ win.

Dodgers rookie starter Emmet Sheehan earned his first career victory.

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ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — End of the eighth

Top of the eighth: Chas McCormick grounded out to short. Michael Grove walked Martin Maldonado before Jose Altuve grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Altuve is 0 for 4 tonight.

Bottom of the eighth: Facing Houston reliever Hector Neris, the Dodgers were retired in order. Brusdar Graterol will be on the mound for the Dodgers in the ninth.

ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — End of the seventh

Top of the seventh: Facing Dodgers pitcher Michael Grove, Yanier Diaz popped out to second, Corey Julks grounded out and Jeremy Pena struck out.

Bottom of the seventh: Ryne Stanek relieved Houston starter J.P. France. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman struck out. Will Smith singled to right before J.D. Martinez struck out for the third time tonight.

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ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — End of the sixth

Top of the sixth: Another 1-2-3 inning for Emmet Sheehan and the Dodgers. Sheehan has given three hits, two earned runs, walked two and struck out four over 87 pitches. Another solid outing for the rookie starter.

Bottom of the sixth: James Outman picked up his third hit of the game on a two-out single up the middle. Miguel Rojas singled to right, prompting a mound visit for Astros starter J.P. France. Michael Busch struck out to leave two stranded.

ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — End of the fifth

Top of the fifth: Emmet Sheehan retired the Astros in order, striking out Martin Maldonado for his fourth punchout tonight.

Bottom of the fifth: The Dodgers are retired in order.

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ByJack Harris

The Dodgers’ Ron Cey is congratulated by teammates Steve Garvey, left, and Reggie Smith after hitting a home run in Game 2 of the 1977 World Series against the New York Yankees.

(Harry Harris / Associated Press)

The most decorated infield in Dodgers history started, of all things, with one small, harmless lie.

On June 23, 1973, the Dodgers were stifled in the first game of a doubleheader by the Cincinnati Reds. They lost 4-1. They recorded only seven hits. And before that day’s nightcap, manager Walter Alston looked for a way to shake up his lineup.

Utility infielder Steve Garvey was the solution.

“I was sitting at my locker,” Garvey recalled, “and Walter Alston came by and stopped me and asked me, ‘Have you ever played first?’ ”

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ByAustin Knoblauch

Dodgers 3, Astros 2 — End of the fourth

Top of the fourth: The Houston Astros led off with back-to-back home runs from Mauricio Dubon and Kyle Tucker to tie the game. Dubon homered into the Dodgers’ dugout and Tucker hit the ball just over the wall in the right-field corner. Emmet Sheehan then walked Alex Bregman before getting Yainer Diaz to fly out and Corey Julks to strike out. Sheehan struck out Jeremy Pena to cap the inning.

Bottom of the fourth: Miguel Vargas flied out and James Outman singled on line drive to center field. After Miguel Rojas walked, Michael Busch went the opposite way down the left-field line. His double scored Outman, but Rojas was tagged out at home on a spot-on relay throw by Houston shortstop Jeremy Pena. Mookie Betts flied out to center, ending the inning.

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ByAustin Knoblauch

Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas fields a single by Houston’s Chas McCormick in front of second baseman Miguel Vargas, right, in the third inning.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

⚾ Dodgers 2, Astros 0 — End of the third

Top of the third: Emmet Sheehan struck out Jeremy Pena before giving up his first major-league hit to Chas McCormick on a single. Martin Maldonado flied out to left before Jose Altuve grounded into a force out at second.

Bottom of the third: Will Smith flied out to right, J.D. Martinez struck out and David Peralta flied out to left.

ByAustin Knoblauch

⚾ Dodgers 2, Astros 0 — End of the second

Top of the second: Alex Bregman drew a walk befoe Yainer Diaz grounded into a double play. Corey Julks flied out to end the frame.

Bottom of the second: Miguel Vargas popped out, then James Outman and Miguel Rojas each singled. After J.P. France walked Michael Busch to load the bases, Mookie Betts plated Outman on sacrifice fly to deep center field. Freddie Freeman flied out to left to strand a couple.

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ByAustin Knoblauch

Mookie Betts hits a lead-off home run in the first inning for the Dodgers on Friday night.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

⚾ Dodgers 1, Astros 0 — End of the first

Top of the first: Facing Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan, Jose Altuve popped out behind home plate, much to the delight of the Dodgers faithful. Mauricio Dubon grounded out to short and Kyle Tucker flied out to David Peralta in left field. Sheehan still hasn’t allowed a hit seven innings into his Dodgers career.

Bottom of the first: Mookie Betts led off with his 18th home run of the season — a no-doubter deep into the left-field pavilion — off Astros starter J.P. France to give the Dodgers an early lead. France struck out Freddie Freeman before Astros center fielder Chas McCormick made a hopping catch into the wall on a liner off the bat of Will Smith. J.D. Martinez followed with a singled on a line drive to left. David Peralta grounded out to second, ending the inning.

ByJack Harris

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Six years later, and with only two players left from their tainted 2017 World Series team, the Houston Astros remain the subject of ire around baseball — and in Los Angeles, in particular.

In their third trip back to Dodger Stadium since their 2017 sign-stealing scandal became public (and second trip where fans were in the stands), the Astros were still booed profusely before first pitch Friday, with the two 2017 holdovers, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, getting the loudest jeers.

“If you’re a Dodger fan, I absolutely understand how they feel about [the Astros],” manager Dave Roberts said pregame. “As long as they’re rooting for us and being boisterous with those guys, I think it absolutely adds to the home-field advantage.”

This weekend’s series comes just days after MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told Time magazine he wished he had handled the league’s punishment of the Astros differently — most notably, wondering in hindsight whether he should have waited longer into the investigation before granting Astros players immunity for their testimony.

Roberts said he saw Manfred’s comments and “can appreciate the fact he admitted he would have done things differently.”

However, when pressed on the topic, Roberts declined to stir up any more drama.

“I don’t think it’s beneficial for me to talk about that,” Roberts said.

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ByJack Harris

Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan walks off the field after his first major-league start on June 16.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

As an overlooked high school prospect and lightly-touted college recruit, Emmet Sheehan usually tried to ignore player rankings and scouting prognostications when thinking about his baseball future.

“I didn’t like looking at that stuff,” Sheehan said. “Because growing up, I was never on those lists.”

After his sophomore season at Boston College, however, the right-handed pitcher made an exception.

One day, shortly after the 2020 college season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheehan pulled up a top-500 prospects list for his 2021 draft class. He was curious to see where his name landed among other pro hopefuls.

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ByBill Plaschke

Jose Altuve of the Astros is greeted by boos as he returns to the dugout after striking out against the Dodgers on Aug. 3, 2021, at Dodger Stadium.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Here they come again.

You know what to do.

“Cheat-ers … cheat-ers … cheat-ers.”

Six years have passed, but the pain has not abated, the anger has not softened and the outrage is still real.

They’re wearing your rings. They’re displaying your trophy. They’ve stolen your moment.

There are few times when a sports fan has a civic duty, but the three-game series beginning Friday at Chavez Ravine is one of those times.

Dodgers fans, give the Houston Astros hell.

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ByChuck Schilken

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to members of the media following an owners’ meeting at MLB headquarters in New York on June 15.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

Rob Manfred admits he was wrong.

Granting immunity to players for their cooperation with Major League Baseball’s investigation into the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme?

“Maybe not my best decision ever,” the MLB commissioner says now.

That sound you just heard was Dodgers fans all over Southern California simultaneously smacking their foreheads.

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ByMike DiGiovanna

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Dave Roberts’ pregame media briefing was about to break up Wednesday when a Japanese reporter chimed in with a question that was as direct as the chalk line between home plate and first base in Angel Stadium.

“Do you want Shohei Ohtani?” the Dodgers manager was asked.

“I don’t think there’s a manager that wouldn’t love Shohei, but right now, he’s an Angel, so I want to get hits off him, and I want to get him out four times tonight,” Roberts said before the Freeway Series game. “And I can’t afford tampering charges.”

The Dodgers are expected to make a huge play for Ohtani in free agency, so much so that in a poll of 96 major leaguers conducted by the Athletic this week, 57.2% said they thought Ohtani would be playing for the Dodgers next season. The Angels ranked second at 11.4%.

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Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the remainder of the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.