Dodgers Recap: Arms Can’t Keep Ball in the Yard in Loss to Nats

CHAVEZ RAVINE — The Dodgers found themselves playing from behind all night Saturday, and a relentless barrage of home runs from the Nationals made sure they never had a chance to catch up. In a game that featured eight total homers, five of them came off the bats of Washington hitters—more than enough to bury Los Angeles in a 7–3 loss at Chavez Ravine.

Dustin May got the start and delivered what, on paper, qualified as a quality outing—six innings, three earned runs, all via solo shots. But in reality, it was a reminder of how punishing mistakes can be, especially against a lineup that showed no hesitation to attack the zone. The damage began in the fourth inning, when James Wood crushed a towering 451-foot homer to center. May’s next pitch was even more regrettable—a sinker left up to light-hitting Luis García Jr., who drove it into the right field pavilion.

May rebounded in that same inning, stranding runners on second and third with back-to-back strikeouts, and in the sixth he was one out away from exiting with only two earned runs. But Nathaniel Lowe had other plans, launching his first of two home runs on the night to stretch the Nationals’ lead.

May’s final line—six innings, five strikeouts, three solo homers—was serviceable, but the Dodgers needed more than that on a night when the heart of their lineup failed to deliver.

While Andy Pages and Will Smith both homered to keep the game within reach, the Dodgers’ trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman went a combined 1-for-12 with six strikeouts. The team had opportunities, including a pair of singles in the fifth from Edman and Betts that briefly applied pressure, but too often the big bats failed to capitalize.

Smith did his part, adding two extra-base hits including a solo shot in the sixth—his third homer in five games. But each time the Dodgers chipped away at the deficit, the Nationals had an immediate answer. In the seventh, Jack Dreyer surrendered two runs, including a two-run homer by CJ Abrams, his second blast in as many nights. That opened up a 5–2 cushion and knocked the wind out of a potential comeback.

The eighth inning saw Lou Trivino yield Lowe’s second homer, followed by a single to Josh Bell. Rookie reliever Will Klein was called upon for his Dodgers debut, but his welcome was less than warm—he immediately gave up a double to Daylen Lile, setting up a sac fly from Keibert Ruiz that pushed the Nationals’ lead to 7–2.

Teoscar Hernández added a solo homer in the ninth to cap off the Dodgers’ scoring, but the damage had long been done. Even with late signs of life, Los Angeles never threatened to turn the tide.

It was a frustrating night in all facets—missed pitches, missed opportunities, and minimal production from the team’s biggest names. With five different Nationals going deep, the Dodgers’ pitching staff simply couldn’t keep the ball in the yard, and the offense didn’t offer the firepower to make up for it.

The loss cuts a game off the Dodgers’ lead in the division race and underscores an ongoing concern: when the long ball goes cold for the offense and the pitching staff can’t avoid it, even a team this talented can look vulnerable.

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