Blake Treinen and Edwin Díaz face difficulties in Dodgers’ defeat against Rockies

Dodgers Suffer Consecutive Losses for First Time This Season

DENVER — The Dodgers are experiencing a rare slump, having lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

In a frustrating 9-6 defeat against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, they let an early lead slip away. The team initially looked strong, but things quickly went downhill at Coors Field. Aki Sasaki struggled late in his outing, impacting a three-run start across the fourth and fifth innings. Although Blake Treinen managed to regain a lead for a moment in the seventh, the offense went silent for the rest of the game.

Edwin Diaz made his return after a nine-day absence due to concerns over a dip in velocity related to his knee, but his performance raised more questions. The Dodgers got off to a promising start, scoring three runs early in the game thanks to a couple of doubles from Alex Freeland and Shohei Ohtani, alongside Ryan Ward’s first career hit and RBI.

Sadly, much like the previous day’s loss, they only managed to score one more run before the end of the game.

The pitching couldn’t hold up either, particularly Sasaki, who started off well but lost control in crucial moments. In the first three innings, he retired eight of ten batters with his fastballs, but then struggled to keep runners off base.

The Rockies capitalized, scoring one in the fourth and then tying the game in the fifth when Kyle Karros launched a 448-foot home run. Treinen let the game slip away when he allowed four hits in a row, including a decisive two-run homer by Mickey Moniak.

Diaz followed in the eighth, giving up three runs and failing to secure any outs, which effectively sealed their fate. Although the Dodgers tied the game in the ninth, they couldn’t turn things around and marked their first consecutive losses of the season.

What It Means

This series has not gone as planned for the Dodgers. While there’s still a chance to salvage a split with a game on Monday, that would still be disappointing for a team that had previously won five of their first six series this season.

Among the concerns, a significant drop in offensive output stood out. They gave up seven runs in cold weather on Friday and only a few runs in the following innings, facing difficulty hitting with runners in scoring positions.

Who is Hot

Diaz, though perhaps not as hot as he should be. After a lengthy break, he appeared in a game for the first time since April 10. His warm-up was anything but smooth.

He faced four batters and, shockingly, registered no outs. Despite a few fast pitches hitting 97 mph, he struggled, allowing hits when it mattered the most.

Who is Not?

Sasaki is understandably feeling the heat. He allowed ten base runners in his recent outing, with an unsightly 6.11 ERA. On top of that, Treinen also faced difficulties in this game, having misjudged his throws.