CHAVEZ RAVINE — The Dodgers dropped their second straight to the Astros on Saturday, falling 6–4 in a game that turned in the early innings and never fully came back their way. Shohei Ohtani gave the Dodgers a solid start with two scoreless innings in his second multi-inning outing this season, but Justin Wrobleski struggled to settle in behind him, and one rough frame proved too much for the Dodgers to overcome.
Ohtani Sharp Again
Making his fourth pitching appearance of the year, Ohtani retired six of the seven batters he faced, striking out three across two clean innings. He threw 31 pitches (21 strikes) and didn’t allow a run. The only baserunner came on a soft bloop single in the first.
But once Ohtani handed the ball off, the momentum shifted.
Wrobleski’s Third Inning Proves Costly
Justin Wrobleski took over in the third and gave up four runs in a tough inning that started with back-to-back hits. A two-run double from Zack Short tied the game, followed by a run-scoring single from Cam Smith (aided by a throwing error in there from Miguel Rojas) and another RBI knock from Christian Walker to give the Astros a 4–2 lead. Wrobleski eventually settled down and gave the Dodgers 4.2 total innings of work, but the damage in that one inning proved decisive.
Dodgers Hit Framber Valdez but Can’t Capitalize
To their credit, the Dodgers came out swinging against Astros starter Framber Valdez. Mookie Betts opened the scoring with a solo homer in the first, and Miguel Rojas added a two-run shot in the fourth to pull L.A. within one. Rojas also drove in a run in the second after Andy Pages singled and advanced to third on a stolen base and throwing error.
Despite tallying nine hits and chasing Valdez after six innings, the Dodgers couldn’t take full advantage. They went just 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.
Missed Opportunities and Costly Mistakes
One of the game’s key turning points came in the bottom of the seventh. Betts led off with a double under the glove of left fielder Cooper Hummel—exactly the start the Dodgers needed. But instead of stopping at second, Betts tried to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out easily at third. The next two hitters made outs, and the potential rally fizzled on the spot.
Astros Add Insurance, Dodgers Come Up Empty Late
Jose Altuve’s leadoff triple in the eighth set up a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini to stretch Houston’s lead to 6–4. The Dodgers threatened in the bottom half, putting two on with one out, but couldn’t deliver a big hit. Esteury Ruiz struck out with the tying runs aboard to end the inning.
In the ninth, Shohei Ohtani singled to lead off, but Betts and Will Smith couldn’t mount a rally. Freddie Freeman popped out in foul territory to end the game.
Final Thoughts
The Dodgers did some things well—Ohtani looked sharp again, Andy Pages collected two more hits, and Miguel Rojas drove in three runs—but early damage, defensive miscues, and poor situational hitting kept them from finishing the job. Wrobleski deserves credit for eating innings after a rough start, but that third inning ultimately decided the outcome.
With the loss, the Dodgers fell to 56–34 and will look to salvage the finale of the series on Sunday. Emmet Sheehan returns to the Dodgers for a start after building up in the minors. Should be a good chance for a win if he brings the same stuff.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
