For Los Angeles Dodgers fans, they had to sit through watching Tanner Scott throw a home run ball to Balitmore Orioles rookie Samuel Basallo in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday night. The Orioles came out of their dugout, celebrating their 2-1 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
This was a nightmare for Dodgers fans, another bitter loss as the team holds on desperately to its National League West Division lead. While the Dodgers were scuffling against a last-place team, the San Diego Padres were getting shut out by the Colorado Rockies 3-0 at Coors Field.
One thing that Dodgers fans know is that when first baseman Freddie Freeman talks, they better listen. Freeman has been through his fair share of postseason playoff runs, especially last season when he helped the team win the 2024 World Series over the New York Yankees.
MLB (@MLB) on X
Freddie Freeman parks one over the center field wall to tie the game 😤
Freeman was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Pretty much, he was the Dodgers offense on Friday night. After the game, though, even Freeman knew that his teammates have to step up their game.
"Sometimes, you just don’t have the right answers," Freeman said, The Los Angeles Times reported. "Not going to sit here and give some cliches. We’re just not playing very good. ... There’s no sugarcoating this. We need to figure this out, and figure this out quick."
Shohei Ohtani was put on the mound in an emergency start for the Dodgers after scheduled starter Tyler Glasnow was scratched due to back tightness. Ohtani didn't give up a run in 3 2/3 innings. The Dodgers bullpen really did perform well as Roberts used five relievers before getting to Scott. Those pitchers only gave up one earned run and shut the Orioles bats down overall.
Then, Scott, with his 4.56 ERA, threw the homer ball and that was game, set, match.
"We can sit here after every game and talk about what we need to do," Freeman said. "It’s just, we got to do it."
After Friday's action, the Dodgers are still up on the Padres by two games. Los Angeles is in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Padres have lost their last five in a row, not able to make up ground at all.
"I know each day the guys come in fresh, prepared and expecting a different result," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But we’re just not getting it done."
Oh, don't look over your shoulder Dodgers fans because the San Francisco Giants are now six games out of first place and four games out of a potential National League Wild Card spot. Yes, the vaunted Giants are back in the discussion.
That's a saving grace for Los Angeles right now, but not being able to shake the losing blues can come back to haunt a team. The Dodgers need to find their offense again and, of course, have a pretty trustworthy bullpen.