MLB LOOK AHEAD

Dodgers in search of first win in Oakland in 17 years

The Sports Xchange

August 06, 2018 at 8:49 pm.

Sean Manaea (55) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Safeco Field. Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Manaea (55) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Safeco Field. Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Los Angeles Dodgers venture into a site where they haven’t won since 2001 when they open a two-game interleague series against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill (4-4, 3.63 ERA) will face his former team for the first time since being traded in 2016, opposed by A’s ace Sean Manaea (10-7, 3.38).

The teams split games earlier this season in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers beating Manaea 4-0 behind Hyun-Jin Ryu before the A’s rebounded with a 16-6 thumping the following day that featured home runs by Khris Davis, Matt Chapman and Jed Lowrie.

The A’s have beaten the Dodgers in seven of their nine meetings since 2009, and all eight of their head-to-heads in Oakland since 2001.

The series matches teams that have overcome slow starts to rally into playoff positions in their respective leagues.

The Dodgers have gone 36-21 since June 1, the best record in the National League, and the A’s have been even better since June 16, roaring to the best record in baseball (33-10).

Hill has pitched well in his last three starts, going 2-0 while allowing just three runs (two earned) in 19 innings.

He has never beaten the A’s, going 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in five games, including just one start. He hasn’t faced Oakland since the trade.

The Dodgers also landed outfielder Josh Reddick in that deal on Aug. 1, 2016, in exchange for three young pitchers — Frankie Montas, Jharel Cotton and Grant Holmes.

Hill pitched just half a season for the A’s but ran up a 9-3 record and 2.25 ERA that made him attractive to the pennant-seeking Dodgers.

He has since gone 19-14 with a 3.32 ERA for Los Angeles.

Manaea likewise has never beaten the Dodgers, although his lone matchup with them was the 4-0 loss in April. It left him with an 0-1 record and 3.60 ERA against them.

Chris Taylor and Corey Seager hit solo home runs against him that day to account for the two runs he allowed in five innings.

The 26-year-old hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last 11 starts, going 5-1 during that stretch.

Both teams are coming off impressive wins Sunday before getting Monday off.

The Dodgers bounced back from consecutive defeats in their rematch with World Series rival Houston with a 3-2 win on Sunday.

Dodgers newcomers Manny Machado (three hits, scored two runs) and Brian Dozier (two-run double) contributed to the win.

Manaea is familiar with both former American League stars. Machado smacked an RBI double in their only previous head-to-head and Dozier had a double in five at-bats.

The A’s completed a historic week Sunday with a 6-0 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Oakland not only won three straight from both the Toronto Raptors and Tigers last week but capped 7-0 season series sweeps of both.

The A’s previously had a total of two such seven-game, season-series sweeps in franchise history.

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