Dodgers Interview: Roberts on frustrating series loss
“We’ve just got to play clean baseball.”
QUEENS, NY — The Dodgers wrapped up their series in Queens on Sunday with a frustrating 3-1 loss to the Mets, a game defined by defensive miscues and squandered opportunities at the plate. For a team entering one of its toughest stretches of the season, it was a reminder of how slim the margins are when facing quality opponents—and how costly little mistakes can be.
From the very first inning, the Dodgers had a chance to set the tone. After a Shohei Ohtani solo shot to open the scoring, the Dodgers had men on second and third with nobody out. But Will Smith‘s soft fly to center was tracked down by Tyrone Taylor, turning into a double play and keeping the Dodgers from adding on.
“You never want to feel like the first inning was the game,” manager Dave Roberts said, “but the double play, the Taylor play in center field—heck of a play—and you have a chance to get three runs on the board versus one.”
The Mets responded in the bottom half with a two-run homer, quickly flipping the game. From that point on, Senga settled in and dominated, keeping the Dodgers off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Los Angeles couldn’t capitalize on several opportunities, grounding into two key double plays and finishing 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
The Dodgers’ lone offensive highlight came in the sixth, when Ohtani—just hours removed from his live bullpen session facing hitters for the first time since offseason surgery—connected for a solo home run against his countryman and friend Senga.
“It was good to see Sho come in and homer after the live BP,” Roberts said. “I don’t know how much correlation there is to the workload, but to come up and hit a homer in that situation, it infused some life into us.”
Unfortunately, the rally fizzled after Freddie Freeman doubled. The Dodgers failed to bring either runner home.
Defensively, the Dodgers were undone by errors and missed plays that prolonged Mets innings. Max Muncy, in particular, struggled again at third base, with his miscues drawing scrutiny.
“Obviously there’s plays that need to be made that he hasn’t made, and he’ll be the first to say it,” Roberts said. “He wears it hard. He takes it hard. But at the end of the day, we still have to make plays and can’t give away outs.”
Rookie starter Landon Knack turned in a solid effort, going six innings and allowing just the three early runs. He kept the Dodgers in the game, despite the pressure created by the defensive lapses.
“I thought Landon pitched really well tonight,” Roberts said. “Gave us a chance to win.”
Still, the lack of clutch hitting and costly mistakes proved too much to overcome. The Dodgers left six runners on base and, more significantly, couldn’t get the big hits or make the big plays when it mattered most.
Roberts admitted the series, especially the final two games, was a reminder of what the team will be facing in the coming weeks. “We’re going to be playing against some really good teams,” he said. “Our margin is much smaller.”
“We’ve just got to play clean baseball,” he added. “Because all that stuff matters—extra outs, double plays. It’s really highlighted when you’re playing good ballclubs.”
The Dodgers now head into a challenging stretch of their schedule with lingering questions about defense, situational hitting, and overall consistency. If Sunday’s loss was any indication, they’ll need to tighten things up quickly to stay atop the National League West.
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