Oakland’s offense explodes in 16-6 win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — When Khris Davis gets hot, few hitters around the league can match the streaks he goes on. His numbers over the past two seasons prove it. The Oakland A’s are hoping this is one of Davis’ hot streaks.
Davis went 3 for 3 in his first three atbats of Wednesday’s 16-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, making it five straight at-bats in which he’s recorded a hit before finishing a triple short of the cycle as he went 3 for 5.
“For a guy like him, all it takes is a couple of hits,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve seen him be as productive as any hitter in the American League.”
Davis crushed a first-pitch fastball from Alex Wood for a two-run home run in the first inning. It was his second of the season, and like most of his homers when he’s on a hot streak, was driven to the opposite field well past the wall in right-center. The blast ignited what was a much-needed big night from the A’s offense after scoring just one run in their previous two games and getting shut out for the first time this season Tuesday night.
After Tuesday’s loss, Melvin said he was looking for the offense to apply more pressure on the starting pitcher. The hitters certainly obliged by racking up 16 runs and 21 hits, both season highs. The 20 hits were their most in a game since June 17, 2015, against the San Diego Padres, and 16 runs their most scored since Sept. 12, 2016, at Kansas City.
After giving starter Daniel Mengden the early two-run cushion in the first, the A’s (5-8) broke it open in the fourth with a five-run inning.
Davis got it started again, leading off with a double off Wood and scoring in the next atbat on a single by Matt Chapman. Mengden later helped himself out by driving home Chapman on a single to center. Mengden’s single was the first RBI by an A’s pitcher since Scott Kazmir did it in June 2015 against the San Diego Padres.