TORONTO — The Dodgers faced an unexpected setback on Wednesday, losing to the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3, ending their five-game winning streak. It was a game marked by mistakes that had been largely absent earlier in the season.
The Blue Jays rallied in the seventh inning, overcoming a two-run deficit after the Dodgers allowed a walk and three consecutive hits against Jack Dryer.
In the eighth inning, a significant defensive error occurred when Will Smith attempted to catch Andres Jimenez stealing. Unfortunately, his throw hit Miguel Rojas, allowing Davis Schneider to score from third.
The Dodgers managed to score only three runs on six hits, failing to capitalize on Shohei Ohtani’s solid outing on the mound, where he allowed just one run in six innings. This performance ultimately led to their first loss of the week.
It seemed a perfect road trip was not in the cards this time.
What It Means
This defeat meant the Dodgers (9-3) missed a chance at a grand rematch in the World Series.
Compared to their last visit, where they executed flawlessly in a pivotal moment, this game was a stark contrast.
During the World Series last year, the Dodgers thrived on the little plays that made a difference. However, on Wednesday, they recorded two errors for the first time this season, their pitchers allowed more walks (four) than strikeouts (three), and they managed just two hits out of eleven opportunities with runners in scoring position.
Who Is Hot
Ohtani, despite starting two games in his first full season as a two-way player, has not yet allowed an earned run.
His six innings on Wednesday weren’t flawless; he struck out only two batters and allowed five on base (four hits, one walk). Still, he made crucial pitches when needed, getting Kazuma Okamoto to ground out to leave two runners stranded in the first inning, and forced Tyler Heinenman to swing at a splitter to end an inning and avoid an error. He capped his day with a leadoff double off Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the sixth inning.
Who Is Not?
Dreyer had been a surprising standout in the Dodgers’ bullpen last year, recording a 2.95 ERA as a rookie. However, on Wednesday, he struggled in his second season.
Tasked with maintaining a two-run lead in the seventh inning, he managed to retire just one of the five batters he faced, starting the inning with a walk. Following that, the Blue Jays quickly scored three hits, including an RBI double from George Springer and a game-tying single from Dalton Varsho.
This marked the first time this year that the Dodgers’ bullpen failed to preserve a late-game lead.
Around an inning later, the Blue Jays set up the final run to clinch the victory.
To the Next
The Dodgers will enjoy a day off on Thursday before beginning a six-game homestand against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
