LOS ANGELES -- With two months left in the regular season, Julio Urías still has time to prove he can be the ace the Dodgers expected him to be this year.

Thursday night was a good start, as Urías hurled five scoreless innings in the Dodgers’ 8-2 victory to complete a sweep of the A’s at Dodger Stadium.

• Game Story: Rojas sparks LA with a pair of RBI doubles ▶️

“There's been a lot of inconsistency throughout the year, but I feel like I'm myself on the mound, feel like I'm stronger on the mound,” Urías said through team interpreter Juan Dorado. “... I feel really good about where I'm at right now.”

Coming off a July of mixed results and in the midst of an overall up-and-down season, Urías entered his outing on eight days’ rest, his most recent start being on July 25. Hindered by a left index finger injury that impacted his ability to throw, Urías was working under limitations, with manager Dave Roberts saying pregame he didn’t see the left-hander going north of five innings.

That’s exactly what Urías gave the Dodgers, needing just 68 pitches to get through Oakland’s lineup twice. He scattered three hits and a walk, with his biggest jam coming early on, as many of his struggles have this year.

With one out in the first, Urías allowed a single to Zack Gelof and walked Ramon Laureano. That prompted shortstop Miguel Rojas to pull Urías aside for a word -- after which Urías was able to escape by inducing a double-play grounder to third.

“It wasn't too much of a conversation -- I just wanted to give him a breather or an opportunity to tell me what was going through his mind,” said Rojas. “And he just told me that he was going to keep fighting. And I just told him, ‘We're behind you. Let them hit it.’ And that's what he did.”

Overall, Urías’ velocity was down across the board. His four-seamer averaged 91.6 mph -- 1.2 mph below his season average. But Roberts observed him getting stronger as the night wore on, with his fastest pitch of the night -- a 94.4 mph heater -- coming in the fifth. Three of Urías’ five strikeouts came in that inning, when he ended his night on a strong note by striking out the side.

“It might have been a little bit of a layoff, but I still thought the characteristics of the fastball were good, the location was good after that first inning,” said Roberts. “Slider [was] good and even getting that changeup, really good feel for that late.”

Of course, Urías will have bigger challenges ahead than the A’s, who have the worst record in MLB. And he has had plenty of good starts throughout the year; the issue has been remaining in a rhythm for any extended stretch of time. But for a Dodgers team clinging to a 2 1/2-game NL West lead over the second-place Giants, a reliable anchor in the rotation for the stretch run could be a difference-maker -- making this as good a time as any for Urías to put it all together.

“This is who he is,” said Roberts. “And so if we can build on this … we're in a good spot.”

Following Urías on Thursday was rookie Emmet Sheehan, making his first relief appearance after seven starts to open his Major League career. Sheehan handled the final four innings, allowing a solo home run to Gelof in the sixth and one to Tyler Soderstrom in the eighth. He struck out three and issued one walk.

For a team that’s had trouble having enough healthy starting arms available this year, the 23-year-old Sheehan has done a solid job filling that role to this point. But with Lance Lynn and Ryan Yarbrough now in the fold, the likely activation of Clayton Kershaw next week and a potential return from Tommy John surgery for Walker Buehler come September, the Dodgers suddenly find themselves with an abundance of options.

For now, the bullpen makes sense as a landing spot for Sheehan, with the Dodgers intending to keep him built up should they find themselves needing length.

“I thought he was throwing the baseball with conviction tonight,” said Roberts. “And there's no easing your way into the game. And so to be able to check that box in the big leagues, I thought it was good for him, good for me to see it.”