Los Angeles Dodgers Handed Tough 1st Loss Of Season

The defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers were handed their first loss of the season to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. The Dodgers started the season with a record 8-game winning streak, but it’s a long season of 162 games. It is only a matter of time before you are handed your first of many losses. 

Preview

The two best teams in the National League faced off at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the first of a three-game set. With a staggering 61 All-Star appearances, 7 MVP Awards, and 26 Silver Slugger Awards combined between the two Opening Day rosters, fans expected hits and runs galore. Both pitching staffs, however, had other plans in mind.

Scoring Summary

In the bottom of the first inning, Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up a double to Phillies Shortstop Trea Turner. Not one minute later, Turner took off for third base, prompting Yamamoto to step off the rubber. Yamamoto threw wide of Third Basemen Miguel Rojas allowing Turner to score the first run of the game.

It took until the bottom of the 7th to see some more offense. Another off-season addition by the Dodgers, Kirby Yates, a top saves leader last year in the American League at 33, entered the game to keep the game close. A 4-pitch leadoff walk to Max Kepler and a double to Nick Castellanos led to trouble.

With 1 out, Bryson Stott laced a single to left, scoring Turner. Brandon Marsh followed with a fielder’s choice to second base, scoring Castellanos and increasing the Phillies lead to 3-0. The Dodgers’ bats were silenced most of the night until Tommy Edman popped a two-run home run in the 9th to cut the deficit to 3-2. 

Game Notes

It was the pitchers and defense that were noteworthy for the outcome of this game. Jesús Luzardo, arguably the prized addition from the Miami Marlins over the offseason to an already stacked Phillies rotation, proved why he was one of the top options on the market. He pitched 7 strong innings, earning the win, limiting the Dodgers to 2 hits and 2 walks while amassing 8 strikeouts.

Edman continued his torrid power stretch with the Dodgers, hitting his team-leading fifth of the season. In 46 games for the Dodgers over the last 2 seasons, Edman has hit 11 home runs. He has never eclipsed more than 13 in a season while with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019 to 2023.

Phillies relievers made it interesting in the 8th and 9th, allowing some baserunners, but J.T. Realmuto bailed the Phillies out. He caught Shohei Ohtani stealing to end the 8th and ended the game in the 9th with a “Strike ’em out, throw ’em out” double play to end the game.