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Chavez leads A's to sweep of Dodgers

OAKLAND -- Jesse Chavez allowed just two hits across eight innings, helping the A's top the Dodgers, 5-2, to complete a two-game sweep at the Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon.

Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run with two outs in the third, but Chavez didn't give up another hit until Kiké Hernandez's two-out double in the eighth. Chavez closed out the frame with his sixth strikeout of the day, completing a career-high-tying eight innings for the fourth time.

"One of his better games of the year against what usually is a pretty good lineup that's tough to navigate through," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Didn't give them much to swing at today. A lot of good pitches in and out of the zone when he needed them and a really good feel for his changeup and a good cutter."

Mark Canha stayed hot for the A's, notching two hits to finish the series 6-for-8. Billy Burns collected three hits, including a game-tying double in the sixth, and scored three runs. Dodgers starter Alex Wood was responsible for three runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

"He was good early, kept us in the game," manager Don Mattingly said of Wood. "Then all of a sudden he hit the wall. But we didn't do enough, couldn't get anything going with their guy."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Finishing strong: Chavez returned for the eighth despite sitting at 101 pitches -- nine away from his career high -- and finished it at 116, keeping Melvin from bringing in another arm from a taxed bullpen. Chavez, who at this time last year was forced to move from the rotation to the bullpen because of fatigue issues, has made it through at least six innings in each of his past three starts, after being unable to get past the fifth in four of his previous five outings.

Video: OAK@LAD: Chavez limits Dodgers to two hits, earns win

"He just competes every time he's on the mound," catcher Josh Phegley said. "Today, being able to make adjustments when his pitches weren't quite what he wanted them to be just shows he's versatile, he's got a lot of weapons. I think he's in it for the long haul." More >

Defensive jitters: Without being charged with an error, the Dodgers mishandled two plays in Oakland's two-run sixth. Center fielder Joc Pederson fumbled Burns' RBI double trying to cut it off in the left-center gap, then second baseman Hernandez's off-balance throw pulled first baseman Adrian Gonzalez off the bag on Canha's infield single.

Video: LAD@OAK: Burns ties the game with an RBI double

More bullpen woes: The Dodgers' Achilles' heel, the bullpen, made a challenging situation worse during the A's two-run eighth inning. Both runs were charged to Jim Johnson, one scoring on a sacrifice fly allowed by Luis Avilan, the other on a double allowed by Pedro Baez. More >

Video: LAD@OAK: Vogt adds an insurance run with a sac fly

QUOTABLE
"This is a great time of the year. This is when you see what your guys are made of, who comes through and who steps up." -- Mattingly

UNDER REVIEW
The A's successfully challenged a first-inning call at first base, where Danny Valencia was originally ruled out on the backend of a double-play ball that plated Burns from third base. The call was overturned, and Valencia was deemed safe on the force out.

Video: LAD@OAK: Burns scores as Valencia reaches first base

WHAT'S NEXT
Dodgers: Outfielder Yasiel Puig's availability could be a game-time decision Friday night in Houston. He left Tuesday night's game against the A's with a slight hamstring strain, missed Wednesday's game and will rest on the off-day Thursday. Mattingly said Puig might be used as a designated hitter against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Brett Anderson will take the mound in the 5:10 p.m. PT contest.

A's: The A's will enjoy an off-day Thursday before continuing their homestand with a three-game set against the Rays beginning on Friday. Right-hander Chris Bassitt, who has a 2.34 ERA in five starts since his return from Triple-A Nashville, will be on the mound in the 7:05 p.m. PT matchup.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com.