The Los Angeles Dodgers drop their seventh consecutive game to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Los Angeles Dodgers still do not have a win in August.
Heading into Phoenix to play the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game weekend set that would cap off a short six-game road trip, the Dodgers were right in the middle of their worst losing streak of the season (six games).
Down by one heading into the ninth, Ryan Waldschmidt crushed a two-run home run to walk off Edwin Díaz and the Dodgers for a 4-3 win, extending their losing streak to a season-high seven games.
“I gotta find a way to throw my slider better," Díaz said to reporters via SportsNetLA.
Arizona starter Merrill Kelly, who had an 0-11 record against the Dodgers heading into Friday, no-hit his longtime foe through the first five innings. It took until the sixth inning for Tommy Edman to poke an infield single and record the Dodgers' first hit.
Up to that point, the Diamondbacks led 2-0 after Nolan Arenado ambushed Sasaki for a solo shot in the second inning and Geraldo Perdomo tripled in Arizona's second run.
Los Angeles would tag in their first run via a force grounder from Freddie Freeman in the sixth. Thanks to Edman again, he tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh.
Sasaki held up his end of the bargain for yet another quality outing. Since coming out of the break, the 24-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.57 ERA in his last 23 innings pitched.
Friday's affair was no different, as he tossed six innings and struck out five in the win. He sat at 98.8 mph on his fastball, but registered three of his five punchouts on his splitter, which also generated 20 swings.
Aug 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los AngelesDodgerspitcher Roki Sasaki reacts after giving up a home run to Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado in the second inning at Chase Field -- Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images“They were really aggressive early in the game, but at the same time, I was also attacking aggressively, but defense did a good job," Sasaki said via SportsNetLA.
The Diamondbacks had their chance to make some noise in the eighth, as they found themselves with the bases loaded and two outs with Arenado up. Tanner Scott, who had recorded a sub-two ERA in his last seven appearances (1.42), battled the 14-year veteran for 12 pitches before striking him out.
Andy Pages erupted in the eighth inning with a towering solo shot to give the Dodgers their first lead of the ballgame.
Los Angeles entrusted Díaz to secure the final three outs for the Dodgers and finally get back on track. But after walking Max Kepler to kick off the inning, Waldschmidt took a 2-2 slider 411 feet to straight-away center to walk it off for Arizona.
“I thought the fastball life was good, but the slider is not having much effect. He just hasn’t had the feel for that pitch since he’s gotten back," Dave Roberts said on SportsNetLA.
Since coming off the Injured List, Díaz has struggled mightily. He's given up four earned runs (two of them via the longball) in his last four appearances.
Aug 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los AngelesDodgerspitcher Edwin Diaz reacts after giving up a two run walk off home run by Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (not pictured) in the ninth inning at Chase Field -- Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesWith the loss, the Dodgers have a 69-47 record.
On a lighter note, the last time Los Angeles dropped seven games, they went on to win the World Series (2025).
“A loss is a loss, but to get walked off never feels good. We didn’t play a clean game on either side of the baseball, but we did enough to put ourselves in a position to win a game, and unfortunately we couldn’t finish it," Roberts said.
