D-Backs 6, Dodgers 5: Late rally falls short because of course it does

The Dodgers lost 6-5 to the Diamondbacks today because they consistently fell one timely hit short of what they needed.

I mean that’s basically what it came down to.

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The Dodgers stranded the bases loaded with nobody out in the second inning, which would prove prophetic for how the rest of their day would go, as they stranded 10 runners and fell one run short of tying the game after a three-run ninth-inning rally.

Justin Turner had a two-run homer and a two-run single, while Corey Seager doubled in the other run for the offense. However, with runners on first and third and nobody out in the ninth, with the Dodgers now trailing by just a run, Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor couldn’t even make contact as both went down on strikes in situations where you basically just want to put the bat on the ball and hope it falls in if nothing else.

Just an overall lack of execution, and despite the five runs on 11 hits, three walks, and two hit-by-pitch, the Dodgers had plenty of other opportunities and just couldn’t capitalize.

On the mound, Kenta Maeda gave up five runs in 4.1 innings on seven hits and a walk, partially because Jake Lamb is the new Paul Goldschmidt, but largely because he couldn’t get the vaunted duo of Michael Bourn and Brandon Drury out.

NOT GREAT

The bullpen did well again despite having to enter early, with J.P Howell getting 1.2 scoreless innings and Louis Coleman getting a scoreless frame as well. In between that, Chris Hatcher gave up a run in his inning on a wild pitch of all things, though at least partially it was because the Dodgers failed to turn a fairly routine 6-4-3 double play.

In retrospect, that was frustrating given the eventual rally falling a run short.

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The Dodgers drop to 52-42 with the loss, and 22-24 away from home, which means they probably aren’t winning the next six games since those are also on the road based on how they’ve done away from Chavez Ravine so far. Fortunately, the Giants fell to the Padres again, so their lead in the NL West is still 5.5 games. Unfortunately, both the Mets and Marlins won, meaning the race for both home-field advantage in the NL Wild Card and to make the game itself is down to 1.5 games.

There’s a day off tomorrow for travel before they play the Nationals at 1:05 PM HST/4:05 PM PST/7:05 PM EST with Scott Kazmir (4.52 ERA/4.41 FIP/3.99 SIERA) on the bump against Gio Gonzalez (4.70 ERA/4.13 FIP/4.06 SIERA).