The day started with a heavy fog shrouding Dodger Stadium.
Manager Dave Roberts compared the scene to Gotham City, as uncertainty about the game’s continuation hung in the air.
There was a certain darkness to the atmosphere.
Despite the smoke from a nearby warehouse fire clearing up before the game, the mood didn’t seem to lift.
Starting pitcher Emmett Sheehan struggled significantly, managing just 3 1/3 innings as the Dodgers fell 12-1 to the Orioles.
Sheehan hasn’t clinched a win in over a month, and his recent performances haven’t been surprising.
After a rough first inning—well, it could have been worse—and allowing a solo home run in each of the next two innings, he was taken out in the fourth. Roberts decided he’d seen enough after Sheehan walked two of the first three batters in that inning.
The pitching staff recorded a season-low with six runs allowed on eight hits, alongside four strikeouts and three walks, marking a rough point in the team’s season.
The five relievers that followed gave up another six runs. The only bright spot was infielder Miguel Rojas, who pitched a perfect ninth on just seven pitches, prompting a standing ovation.
What it means
This wasn’t the farewell the Dodgers aimed for ahead of their long road trip.
It marked their first back-to-back losses since May 12, when they went through a tough four-game stretch.
They also didn’t seize the opportunity to improve on their impressive home record, slipping to 26-14 at Dodger Stadium.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers (49-29) still maintain a solid lead in the National League West, ahead of San Diego by nine games.
Who is hot
Fans braved tough conditions, holding out hope for a good performance.
After enduring Sheehan’s shaky start, frustration began to rise.
Boos came out after Taylor Ward’s solo home run in the second inning, putting the Orioles at a 3-0 advantage. Colton Cowser added another in the third.
By the seventh inning, when Pete Alonso homered for three runs off reliever Jonathan Hernandez, pushing Baltimore’s score to 10-1, many fans could no longer take it. They started to leave in large numbers.
Who is not?
It might be time to start worrying about Sheehan.
On the game’s third pitch, the Orioles had their first baserunner.
In just four pitches, he’d already put runners on second and third.
After nine pitches, he faced a loaded situation with no outs.
Things unraveled quickly, and Baltimore scored two runs using 28 pitches in the first inning, hinting at the struggles ahead. His ERA rose to 5.32, the highest it had been since late April.
To the next
The Dodgers are set to begin a nine-game, three-city road trip in Minneapolis on Monday. Lefty Eric Lauer (2 wins, 5 losses, ERA 5.37) will take the mound for the Dodgers, while Zebby Matthews (3 wins, 4 losses, ERA 4.78) is slated to start for the Twins.
