Dodgers drop series to Guardians after another lackluster showing at the plate
It's very early in the season, but the Dodgers' star-studded lineup is struggling at the plate, with the latest example coming in a 4-1 loss to Cleveland.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani walks back to the dugout after striking out in the eighth inning of a 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) There’s a lot of season left and little evidence to go on, but … Fans are going to ask: What is going on with the Dodgers ’ bats?
About all they’re hitting is the snooze button — snoozing and, on Wednesday, losing 4-1 to the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers’ super-imposing lineup looked mostly lifeless most of the game, with only Andy Pages providing a spark in the No. 8 spot until Freddie Freeman hit his first home run this season with two outs in the ninth inning.
That cut the Guardians’ lead to three runs before Will Smith flied out to deep center to end it. Before Freeman’s 407-foot blast, Pages had the only answers for Guardians starter Gavin Williams. In seven innings, Cleveland’s 6-foot-6 right-hander frustrated Dodgers hitters, holding them to two hits, striking out 10 without giving up a run.
Read more: Shohei Ohtani battles through the rain to throw a one-hit gem in Dodgers' win The Dodgers finally threatened against reliever Shawn Armstrong in the eighth inning, getting runners on second and third on a Teoscar Hernández single and Pages double, but Shohei Ohtani struck out on three pitches to end the inning. He and his teammates continued to be plagued by slow starts to start this season, digging themselves a too-familiar hole Wednesday, falling behind 2-0 for the fifth time in six games. And this time, they couldn’t conjure up a clutch hit or two to help them climb out of it — including none by Ohtani, who is now three for 18 with seven walks and no extra-base hits this season.
Continue to the original source for the full article.