MIAMI — When Landon Knack was roughed up for five runs in two innings in Atlanta last Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts referred to it as “an outlier” in what has been a largely successful rookie year.
It’s hard to argue with that now.
Coming off his worst start, Knack turned in one of his best. He allowed just two hits over five scoreless innings as the Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins, 8-4, on Wednesday night.
The victory gives the Dodgers 90 wins for the 11th consecutive full season. The Dodgers maintained their 3½-game lead over the second-place San Diego Padres in the National League West and could clinch a 12th consecutive playoff spot as soon as Thursday.
In the first inning, Shohei Ohtani singled and stole second base on the next pitch. It was his 49th stolen base of the season, leaving him two home runs and one stolen base away from the first 50-50 season in MLB history.
Ohtani went to third on a throwing error by the catcher but was out trying to score on a ground ball by Teoscar Hernandez and went hitless with two strikeouts in his next four at-bats.
As he has closed in on history, Ohtani is 6 for 32 (.188) over his past eight games.
Knack also gave up a single to the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the first inning and stranded him at third base after Xavier Edwards stole second and went to third on a bad throw.
Knack didn’t give up another hit until Nick Fortes singled with two outs in the fifth inning.
The right-hander had the same line – two hits in five scoreless innings – in a start against the Angels in June. He struck out just two in that game. He struck out seven Marlins on Wednesday.
Knack has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his 11 starts this year.
By the time Knack left after five innings, the Dodgers had built a 6-0 lead thanks to a five-run fourth inning. The Dodgers have scored four runs or more in an inning during each of their past four games.
Wednesday’s big inning featured a two-run home run by Tommy Edman and a three-run home run by Kiké Hernandez.
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The Dodgers talked up a number of assets they valued when they acquired Edman – his versatility as a switch-hitter and his defense at multiple positions, mainly. No one mentioned his power. But Edman has now hit six home runs in his past eight games.
That lead survived a rocky Dodgers debut by left-hander Zach Logue. Promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Logue gave up hits to the only three batters he faced in the seventh inning and all three scored before Blake Treinen closed out the inning.
The Dodgers opened their lead back up with Chris Taylor’s two-run single in the eighth inning.
More to come on this story.
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