Day game leaves pitchers in a daze

Dodger Stadium belies reputation as haven for hurlers as Astros, A’s combine for 6HRs

On a hot October afternoon at Dodger Stadium, in a baseball season of rampant strangeness, the Athletics and Astros staged a 21st-century, playoff version of “Home Run Derby.”

That’s now an annual staple on the eve of the All-Star Game (in normal times), yes, and the original version also took place in Los Angeles. The television show was filmed at old Wrigley Field in December 1959, aired from January to July of 1960 and was abruptly canceled after host Mark Scott died of a heart attack.

The show featured a parade of legendary power hitters launching baseballs over the wall — from Hank Aaron and Willie Mays to Mickey Mantle and Ernie Banks to Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew. Classic stuff.

Fast forward to Monday, when an encore broke out in Game 1 of the American League Division Series between the A’s and Astros. Each team smacked three homers as Houston won 10-5 to seize an early edge in the series.

“I knew it was going to be a high-scoring game,” said A’s starter Chris Bassitt, who allowed two homers in his four-plus innings. “I’m pretty sure if you ask any Dodgers player, a day game in this stadium is going to be a shootout. The ball flies. Pop flies are home runs. Everyone has experienced that.”

The whole scene seemed surreal even before balls started flying. The A’s wearing their clean, home white uniforms at Dodger Stadium? And against the Astros? While the actual Dodgers prepared for a National League Division Series in Arlington, Texas? Only in 2020.

Then, in the second inning, the craziness commenced. Khris Davis hit an opposite-field, two-run homer (418 feet according to Statcast), to push the A’s ahead 2-0. Sean Murphy followed with a solo blast (414 feet) in the third.

And then Alex Bregman, offbalance, lifted a Bassitt curveball over the wall (370 feet) in the fourth …

And then Carlos Correa smoked one to dead center (421 feet) to tie the game at 3-3 …

And then Matt Olson hit a towering flyball to center (406 feet), leaving Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. staring toward the outfield in utter disbelief …

And, finally, Correa homered again to center (408 feet) to stretch Houston’s lead to 8-5 in the seventh.

None of this really surprised A’s players, who noticed Dodger Stadium played small during their regular-season visit Sept. 22-24. The Dodgers hit eight homers in that three-game series; the A’s had three.

All of those games were played at night, with first-pitch temperatures in the 70s. It was 91 degrees when Monday’s game began, conditions that usually cause flyballs to carry farther than usual, and at least the next two games also will be played in the daytime (with high temperatures likely in the 80s).

“Early on, it looked like you get the ball in the air, hit it halfway good and it’s going out,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “This park typically does play a little smaller in the daytime, but it also played a little smaller the last time we played here at night. …. Both teams have some guys who can hit it out of the park.”

These conditions would not seem to favor the A’s or Astros to any great extent. Oakland hit 71 home runs in this 60-game, pandemic-shortened season, ninth in the American League. Houston hit 69 and ranked 10th.

But if more lazy flyballs keep carrying and carrying and carrying, it could take a psychic toll on pitchers from both teams.

“It wasn’t ideal pitching conditions,” McCullers said, “but we had the same advantage, so to speak.”