In a challenging matchup on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Milwaukee Brewers, where they fell to a 3-1 defeat, marking their fifth consecutive loss. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had emphasized a need to apply pressure on rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, who was making only his fifth MLB start. With a solid game plan in mind, the Dodgers aimed to extend at-bats and increase Misiorowski’s pitch count to exploit his inexperience.
Though Shohei Ohtani ignited the game with his 31st home run of the season right at the beginning, hitting his ninth leadoff home run and setting a Dodgers record for total home runs before the All-Star break, the subsequent innings would not yield favorable results for Los Angeles. Misiorowski proved difficult to handle, striking out 12 batters and achieving 21 pitches clocked at over 100 mph. His performance was commended by Dodgers veterans, including Clayton Kershaw, who noted, “That was super impressive… unbelievable.”
Despite some offensive chances, including a moment in the sixth inning where Ohtani was thrown out at home while attempting to score from third base, the Dodgers struggled to capitalize, and their aggressive attempts to break through Misiorowski’s defense fell short. Roberts acknowledged the caliber of Misiorowski’s pitching performance, noting the challenge they faced in trying to make impactful hits against him.
Kershaw, on the other hand, gave a solid performance of his own, pitching for six innings and allowing only two runs, but the Dodgers were unable to mount any significant momentum. The Brewers’ bullpen maintained control and added an insurance run in the eighth, further cementing the Dodgers’ plight.
This loss highlights the current struggles of the Dodgers, further compounded by their missing key players due to injury, including Teoscar Hernández and Max Muncy. The team faces an uphill battle moving forward, but with the talent in the clubhouse, including Ohtani and Kershaw, there’s hope for recovery and eventual turnaround as they look to regain their winning form. With resilience and a focus on adapting strategies, the Dodgers have the potential to overcome this challenging stretch in the season.