Introduction to the Dodgers’ Recent Struggles
This should’ve been it. A storybook ending. A cathartic late-game breakthrough. The kind of dramatic, momentum-shifting triumph to finally give the Dodgers some much-needed life. In the top of the ninth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani lifted the team to the verge of a narrative-changing victory, breaking a tie score with the kind of swing that could have catapulted them into the season’s closing stretch.
The Ninth Inning Collapse
With former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen on the mound, and a split crowd in Anaheim rising to its feet, Ohtani blasted a go-ahead home run deep to right field. He flipped his bat and emphatically smacked his hands together. He screamed toward a euphoric Dodgers dugout that was going raucously wild. Shohei Ohtani reacts after hitting a go-ahead solo homer in the ninth. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Bottom of the Ninth and Tenth
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers blew their one-run lead after Alex Vesia gave up a leadoff single, a walk and an eventual Nolan Schanuel sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the 10th, they dropped their fifth-straight game against the Angels this season when Jo Adell sent a high-chopping, three-hopping, walk-off RBI single over the head of drawn-in third baseman Max Muncy. Teammates swarm Jo Adell after his walk-off hit. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Impact on the NL West Standings
The final score: Angels 7, Dodgers 6. The state of the Dodgers’ season: Somehow finding a way to continue to spiral. Indeed, in the most consequential twist of the Dodgers’ stunning midseason meltdown, the team has seen its once-comfortable lead in the National League West vanish in barely a month. Entering play on July 4, the Dodgers were nine games clear of the San Diego Padres, and had a 98% likelihood in Fangraphs’ computer models of winning the division for a fourth-straight time. But since then, the Dodgers have gone 12-20. The Padres, with the help of significant roster upgrades at the trade deadline, are 22-12. And now, with a pair of series between the clubs looming in each of the next two weekends, the teams are tied for first place at 68-52.
Postgame Reactions
“I think you can sense the frustration,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said in a somber postgame clubhouse. “You look at the standings,” Roberts added, “and we just got to play better baseball.” “It’s a new season,” Roberts acknowledged postgame. And the final step in getting there could have hardly wrought any more hurt.
Conclusion
The Dodgers’ recent struggles have led to a first-place tie in the NL West, and their inability to close out games has been a major factor. The team’s frustration is palpable, and they will need to play better baseball if they hope to come out on top. With a pair of series against the Padres looming, the Dodgers will have to find a way to turn their season around and start winning consistently.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game between the Dodgers and the Angels?
A: The final score was Angels 7, Dodgers 6.
Q: What happened in the bottom of the 9th inning?
A: The Dodgers blew their one-run lead after Alex Vesia gave up a leadoff single, a walk and an eventual Nolan Schanuel sacrifice fly.
Q: What happened in the bottom of the 10th inning?
A: The Dodgers dropped their fifth-straight game against the Angels this season when Jo Adell sent a high-chopping, three-hopping, walk-off RBI single over the head of drawn-in third baseman Max Muncy.
Q: How have the Dodgers’ recent struggles affected their standing in the NL West?
A: The Dodgers are now tied for first place with the San Diego Padres at 68-52, after having a nine-game lead on July 4.
