LOS ANGELES -- If Roki Sasaki’s splitter is working, then opposing batters beware.
It was certainly working through the first five innings of Thursday’s 6-2 win over the Mariners at Dodger Stadium.
The sixth inning was a different story -- though a complete breakdown was averted, thanks to a little help from the bullpen and Freddie Freeman’s glove.
As he has in a couple of recent starts, Sasaki turned to his splitter more than any of his other three pitches. It was easy to see why, as he clearly had a feel for the pitch … at least, for most of the night. Nine of his 18 swings and misses came on the splitter, which he regularly turned to as his putaway pitch, getting four of his seven strikeouts with it. In those first five frames, he allowed just three baserunners, on two singles and a walk, and gave up just one hard-hit ball (95 mph exit velocity or higher).
The sixth, however, was a study in contrasts. Sasaki was facing Seattle’s batting order for the third time -- and they wasted no time jumping on him. Suddenly, he wasn’t getting any swings and misses on the splitter, or on any pitch. His command faltered, as he issued two walks. The Mariners picked up three hits, all coming off the bat at 101.5 mph or harder.
The inning started with Cole Young tripling and scoring on a Randy Arozarena double. Four batters later, Sasaki’s night ended with a bases-loaded walk to Cal Raleigh. He gave way to Jack Dreyer, who got the second out on a big strikeout of Rob Refsnyder on three pitches. Dreyer then induced a grounder to shortstop. Mookie Betts very nearly threw the ball away, but Freeman leaped to snag it and, as he landed, managed to tag Weston Wilson for the third out, limiting the damage to Sasaki’s overall line.