River Ryan earns first MLB win as Dodgers beat Astros

HOUSTON — At a time when they’re struggling with injuries and some inconsistencies, there’s a long list of things the Dodgers can improve as they approach the July 30 trade deadline on Tuesday and beyond.

But amid everything that seems to have gone wrong in recent weeks, the Dodgers continue to get superb production from starters who likely wouldn’t have gotten opportunities if a handful of arms weren’t currently on the injured list.

On Sunday, it was Dodgers fourth-string prospect River Ryan who delivered exactly what the Dodgers desperately needed, allowing just one run in 5 2/3 innings of work to help Los Angeles avoid a three-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over Houston at Minute Maid Park. It was the longest outing of Ryan’s young major league career.

“He’s a very lively arm,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “It’s done a pretty good job. He’s got a four-seam fastball, a sinker, a slider, a good mix. He used all those pitches, threw strikes. They threw some good arms at us this weekend.”

In just his second career start, Ryan faced a lot of pressure to get the season off to a good start. With the pressure on the Dodgers’ bullpen after 10 straight games without a break, the team needed a good start. Add to that the fact that the team was looking to avoid getting swept by a rival, and it only made the situation more important.

Ryan said he had some concerns in his first career road start, but it was impossible to tell. Aside from the first two walks of the game, the 25-year-old dominated a shorthanded but still solid Astros lineup. Ryan grounded into an inning-ending double play in the first inning and cruised from there.

“I just played the same game plan I’ve played my whole career, against lefties and righties,” Ryan said. “I was able to execute really well today and it worked for me.”

After leading off the game with two walks, Ryan retired 11 of the next 12 batters he faced. He went hitless through the fifth inning before Jon Singleton hit a leadoff double. Ryan quickly responded, however, striking out Jake Meyers and striking out Victor Caratini and Joey Loperfido.

“The fastball is very effective and has a lot of life,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I thought today the secondary and the curveball were really good against right-handers, but especially against left-handed hitters. … It was good to see him use that four-pitch mix effectively and, you know, we pushed him.”

In the sixth inning, the Dodgers had a sense of déjà vu. With two outs, Yainer Díaz at the plate and Ryan at a career-high 91 pitches, Roberts turned to his bullpen instead of letting the young right-hander finish the inning. That’s what the Dodgers did Saturday with Justin Wrobleski, a move that backfired as Evan Phillips’ struggles continued.

On Sunday, Díaz jumped on an Alex Vesia fastball on the first pitch for a two-run home run, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to one run. Ryan admitted after the game that he was feeling some fatigue, given that he was at his best pitching and making just his 10th start at any level this season after missing the first two months with right shoulder surgery.

Ultimately, the Dodgers’ bullpen, buoyed by a few insurance runs in the eighth, was able to hold on to the lead Sunday and help Ryan earn the first win of his major league career.

“It’s unbelievable,” Ryan said of his first career win. “It’s something you work for your whole life, pitching in the big leagues. Luckily, I was able to get a win.”

Over the next 36 hours, Los Angeles management will be looking to find ways to improve a team that has a lot of holes right now. Getting reinforcements will be a big step in the right direction for a struggling Dodgers club. They will also be looking for impact players on both ends of the ball.

But no matter what happens before they take the field against the Padres on Tuesday in San Diego, the Dodgers learned a lot about a pair of young starting pitchers this weekend against the Astros.

“River did a great job,” Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux said. “I think we all felt like we should have won last night’s game. So to get one, get one from a really good team, obviously avoid the sweep, get some momentum going into the day off, we all really wanted this game.”