Jack Flaherty won for the third time in four starts since being acquired at the trade deadline as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the visiting Seattle Mariners 8-4 on Wednesday night.
Max Muncy’s three-run double capped a five-run fifth inning as the National League West-leading Dodgers completed a sweep of the three-game interleague series.
Flaherty (10-5) allowed two runs — one earned — on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out five.
Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (7-10), who leads the major leagues with 20 quality starts, lasted just 4 2/3 innings. Gilbert gave up eight runs — six earned — on seven hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
The Mariners went 1-8 on their nine-game to drop five games back of Houston in the American League West.
Seattle opened the scoring in the second inning. Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on Justin Turner’s one-out single and scored on Dominic Canzone’s sacrifice fly to center.
The Dodgers took the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the third after rookie shortstop Leo Rivas booted Kevin Kiermaier’s two-out grounder. Shohei Ohtani walked and Mookie Betts doubled to left to bring home both runners.
The Dodgers made it 3-1 in the fourth as Teoscar Hernandez led off with a single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and jogged home on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly to center as outfielder Luke Raley crashed into the fence while making the catch and crumpled to the warning track.
The Dodgers pulled away in the fifth. Ohtani singled with one out, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Freddie Freeman’s double to right-center. Freeman took third on another wild pitch and scored on Hernandez’s single off Rivas’ glove. A single by Gavin Lux and a walk to Will Smith ended Gilbert’s night. Muncy lined reliever Trent Thornton’s first pitch into the right field corner, clearing the bases to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 8-1.
The Mariners’ Dylan Moore drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth; a Canzone groundout scored a run in the eighth; and pinch hitter Mitch Haniger led off the ninth with a homer to center.
