Steve Webb
Game 143, 9/8/2024: Dodgers 4, Guardians 0
CHAVEZ RAVINE, CA — The game time temperature at Dodger Stadium was 103 degrees on Sunday. But it wasn’t only the weather that was hot. Jack Flaherty was absolutely on fire in his best start as a Dodger, pitching into the eithth inning of a 4-0 shutout win over the Cleveland Guardians. This win solidified the Dodgers’ standing in first place in the NL West, improving their record to 86-57.
Jack Flaherty was the star on the mound, pitching 7.1 innings of shutout baseball. He allowed only four hits, struck out six, and didn’t walk a single batter. Flaherty’s command was impeccable as he mixed his pitches to keep the Guardians’ hitters off balance, inducing both groundouts and flyouts with ease. His ability to work deep into the game gave the Dodgers’ bullpen some much-needed rest after the bullpen game on Saturday. Flaherty picked up his 12th win of the season, lowering his ERA to 2.86. He went out to pitch the eighth with a 2-0 lead, but when he gave up a one-out single, his day was over. Michael Kopech took over and finished off the inning with a flyout and strikeout.
Offensively, the Dodgers didn’t do a lot in this one, but enough to take home the W. They had starter Tanner Bibee on the ropes in the fourth when Mookie Betts led off with a triple, and scored on a Will Smith single. Though they loaded up the bases, they had to be satisfied with just one in that frame.
Shohei Ohtani once again made history, becoming the first player in MLB history to reach 46 home runs and 46 stolen bases in a single season. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Ohtani crushed a solo home run off Tanner Bibee, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0. Ohtani’s 46th blast not only padded the Dodgers’ lead but cemented his incredible dual-threat status as one of the most electrifying players in baseball.
Max Muncy added to the Dodgers’ offense in the eighth inning with a solo home run of his own, marking his 12th homer of the year. Will Smith had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Chris Taylor contributed with a clutch two-out RBI single in the eighth to give the Dodgers some breathing room.
The Guardians struggled to get anything going against Flaherty and the Dodgers’ bullpen. Evan Phillips closed out the ninth inning, securing the shutout victory. Tanner Bibee took the loss for the Guardians, despite a solid five-inning outing, allowing just two runs. The Guardians’ lineup managed six hits but couldn’t capitalize on opportunities, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
With this win, the Dodgers continue their march towards the postseason, riding strong pitching performances and Ohtani’s historic season. Next up, the suddenly struggling Chicago Cubs, who only scored two runs all weekend in losing two of three to the Yankees. It’s going to be Walker Buehler getting the ball on Tuesday, against the once-great Kyle Hendricks. (3-11, 6.60 ERA, 74 SO). With all the news since Buehler’s last start, he is absolutely in the the coversation for the postseason rotation. We’ll see what he’s going to bring to the moment on Monday. Gametime will be 7:10 PDT. See you at the stadium!
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