The end result was historic. The way in which it occurred was all too acquainted.
By no means earlier than, since interleague play started in 1997, had the Dodgers been swept in a six-game season sequence by the Angels.
Loads of instances in latest weeks, nevertheless, they’ve suffered the sort of destiny that clinched that distinction Wednesday.
Getting into the eighth inning at Angel Stadium, the Dodgers had been main by just one run, having as soon as once more did not stretch a slim lead. And with out many reliable choices in a just lately scuffling bullpen, supervisor Dave Roberts had few playing cards to play from his deck.
First, he despatched left-hander Justin Wrobleski out for a 3rd inning of labor. When he walked the primary two batters, Roberts then turned to right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who had pitched a number of innings the night time earlier than.
Should you’ve been watching the Dodgers during the last couple of weeks, you’ll be able to most likely guess what occurred subsequent.
Some dangerous luck: A possible inning-ending double-play grounder that took a deflection off Henriquez’s glove.
Dangerous execution: Henriquez throwing a center-cut fastball to Logan O’Hoppe that, even at 103.2 mph, was smoked into heart.
And, in a scene that has repeated itself again and again through the Dodgers’ latest skid, loads of hanging, defeated heads.
In a 6-5 loss that was selected O’Hoppe’s go-ahead two-run single, the Dodgers not solely suffered a second sequence sweep to the Angels this yr — but in addition, for the primary time since April 27, fell out of first place within the Nationwide League West.
“It simply looks like proper now,” Roberts mentioned, “that’s the best way issues are going.”
From 9 video games up within the division on July 3, to at least one recreation again of the San Diego Padres forward of their go to to Dodger Stadium this weekend.
“We’re the place we’re at. We put ourselves on this spot,” Roberts mentioned. “However no, I wouldn’t have anticipated us to be in second place proper now.”
Certainly, numerous unexpected journey wires have contributed to the Dodgers’ sudden tumble within the standings.
For many of July, they’d the worst offense within the majors. Up till just lately, their beginning rotation was beset by accidents.
Within the final week and a half, nevertheless, there’s been a standard script nearly too straightforward to foretell.
The Dodgers take an early lead, however miss alternatives to increase it. Then they flip issues over to their bullpen, and watch their patchwork reduction corps inevitably start to soften.
It occurred twice final week in opposition to the St. Louis Cardinals, and as soon as extra final Sunday in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays. On Tuesday, it negated a go-ahead dwelling run from Shohei Ohtani within the ninth inning. And on Wednesday, it wasted the lead he had left the mound with after his longest, however hardly most spectacular, pitching begin of the yr.
Now, for the primary time since 2021, the Dodgers have floor to make up with lower than two months to go within the yr.
“It’s what it’s,” shortstop Mookie Betts mentioned. “Can’t change it proper now.”
The excellent news: They will change it on Friday, when the Padres come to city for the primary of two essential sequence between the groups over the following 10 days.
The dangerous information: The Dodgers are coming into that pivotal stretch with four-straight losses, and a 12-21 file since July 4. The Padres, in the meantime, have received 5 straight video games and are 23-12 over that very same prolonged span.
For some time on Wednesday, the Dodgers (68-53) as soon as once more clung to false hope.
They scored thrice within the first inning, after Ohtani led off with a triple, Betts singled him dwelling to increase his hitting streak to eight video games, and Will Smith lifted a two-run dwelling run down the road in left.
They maintained that lead for a lot the remainder of the night time, overcoming a uneven four-run, 4 ⅔ inning begin from Ohtani (who pitched into the fifth inning for the primary time since coming back from his second profession Tommy John surgical procedure, and did strike out Mike Trout each instances he confronted him) by tacking on two extra runs in a fourth-inning rally.
By not extending their 5-4 lead, nevertheless, the Dodgers left themselves inclined late.
“On the finish of the day, we’re simply not ending the video games the place we have now a possibility,” Roberts mentioned.
Edgardo Henriquez bites his glove as he walks off the mound after giving up the go-ahead run within the eighth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Instances)
“It’s not like we’re going on the market simply laying eggs,” Betts added. “Simply falling quick proper now.”
The night time might have been completely different if Andy Pages hadn’t been robbed of a two-run homer by Angels heart fielder Bryce Teodosio within the seventh inning. Or if the lineup hadn’t completed the sport with no hit of their ultimate 16 at-bats (they managed solely two walks after the fifth, once they left the bases loaded on Teoscar Hernández’s inning-ending strikeout).
As an alternative, the sport got here all the way down to the eighth, when Wrobleski misplaced his command after two scoreless innings earlier and left a multitude for Henriquez — one of the best of a bunch dangerous bullpen choices on an evening Blake Treinen and Ben Casparius, hardly stalwarts themselves during the last couple weeks, had been unavailable after heavy latest utilization.
Henriquez’s first batter, Christian Moore, tried a sacrifice bunt that the Dodgers completely defended. Freddie Freeman crashed from first base, and acquired the lead runner out at third.
Up subsequent got here Jo Adell, who hit a chopper up the center. Off the bat, it appeared destined to be turned for a double play by second baseman Miguel Rojas.
Earlier than it acquired there, nevertheless, Henriquez tried to achieve for the ball. It deflected off his glove, then rolled helplessly to the outlet Rojas had simply vacated. Everybody reached safely. The bases had been out of the blue loaded with one out.
“That’s baseball,” Roberts mentioned. “That’s a part of it.”
Henriquez, the hard-throwing prospect who has seemed promising in his return to the majors this yr, struck out Luis Rengifo after that to maneuver to the verge of an much-needed escape.
However in a 2-and-2 rely in opposition to O’Hoppe, he threw a poorly positioned fastball that the Angels catcher was timed up for. A line drive went screaming into heart. The tying and go-ahead runs got here racing throughout the plate.
“He was lifeless pink and he simply timed it up,” Roberts mentioned. “Didn’t wish to pitch Edgardo both, with the up-down yesterday. Nevertheless it’s sort of the place we’re at proper there.”
Now, the Dodgers discover themselves in a spot they by no means would have anticipated even only a month in the past. Nonetheless mired in an prolonged droop. Dealing with a deficit in a division they’ve led nearly all season. And looking for solutions forward of what might be a defining stretch within the schedule.
“Clearly, it doesn’t really feel good to fall into second place and to lose numerous these video games,” Ohtani mentioned by interpreter Will Ireton. “We’re doing every little thing in our energy, having shut conferences, doing every little thing that we are able to to attempt to proper the ship. We simply should do a greater job.”
