The Los Angeles Dodgers missed a golden chance to put more distance between themselves and the rest of the NL West on Wednesday night. They fell 3-0 to the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
With the San Diego Padres losing earlier in the day, the Dodgers had a prime opportunity to stretch their division lead. Instead, they stumbled in the clutch and continued a worrying late-season skid that could jeopardize their postseason positioning.
Missed Chances Define Another Frustrating Night
For Dodgers fans, this was all too familiar. Los Angeles went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 baserunners.
The pattern was obvious from the start: missed opportunities when it mattered most. The Pirates took control while the Dodgers left runners on base.
The Second Inning That Set the Tone
The most glaring missed opportunity came in the top of the second inning. The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs—an almost guaranteed scoring situation for a team with their offensive firepower.
But three batters later, nothing had changed on the scoreboard. Two strikeouts, one routine fly ball, and a golden chance wasted.
Manager Dave Roberts didn’t hold back afterward, calling those at-bats “game-changing.” He lamented the lack of situational execution.
Repeated Struggles with Runners On
The second inning was just the beginning of their woes. They loaded the bases again in the third inning with one out but came away empty-handed.
Additional rallies fizzled in the fifth and seventh innings. Pirates pitchers kept walking off the mound unscathed.
The Dodgers’ inability to deliver in those moments is quickly becoming the defining trait of this stretch run. It’s honestly tough to watch sometimes—how does this keep happening?
Early Deficit, Uphill Battle
Spot starter Emmet Sheehan didn’t get much help from his bats, and his night started rough. In the first two innings, Sheehan gave up solo home runs to Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen.
The Dodgers found themselves in a 2-0 hole right away. Sheehan settled down a bit, but the early deficit meant Los Angeles was chasing all night.
That’s a dangerous spot for a team whose offense has been sputtering for weeks. You could almost feel the frustration building with every missed chance.
Will Smith Injury Scare
There was concern behind the plate when All-Star catcher Will Smith took a foul tip off his throwing hand and had to exit the game. Initial X-rays came back negative, thankfully.
Out of caution, the team will call up a third catcher as depth. Smith’s injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term, but any disruption to the heart of the lineup is the last thing Los Angeles needs right now.
A Slump That Won’t Go Away
This defeat was more than just a bad night. Since July 4, the Dodgers have posted a 22-29 record—a stretch that’s erased their early-season momentum and let division rivals inch closer in the standings.
They’ve now dropped four consecutive series in Pittsburgh. That’s a team they used to dominate, so it’s a bit jarring.
Pressure Mounting in the NL West
What makes this loss sting even more is the missed opportunity to capitalize on the Padres’ recent skid. San Diego’s collapse opened the door for Los Angeles to all but lock up the NL West.
Instead, the division lead remains precarious. Roberts and team leaders like Freddie Freeman have publicly emphasized that focus and execution must improve immediately before their grip on first place slips away entirely.
Key Takeaways from the Loss
The Dodgers lost to the Pirates because of poor situational hitting and some badly-timed pitching mistakes. They just couldn’t grab momentum when they needed it most.
- 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position shows the team struggled to deliver in clutch moments.
- 11 runners left on base means they wasted a lot of chances.
- Giving up early home runs put Los Angeles behind right away.
- Will Smith’s injury scare adds even more worry to a roster that’s already struggling.
- The team’s 22-29 record since early July really tells the story of a long slump.
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Here is the source article for this story: Struggling Dodgers lose, again, to the Pittsburgh Pirates
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