The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their fourth consecutive game on Thursday with a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, capping off a disappointing series at Citizens Bank Park.
The Dodgers were outscored 19-5 and mustered just one run in two of the three matchups. Aside from the first inning in Tuesday’s series opener, L.A. trailed at the end of every other frame during the Phillies’ series sweep.
There was plenty of buzz heading into the three-game set, but it turned out to be rather one-sided in favor of the Phillies.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes the Phillies are playing at a higher level right now and said his team needs to get back on track, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“They’re clearly playing a lot better baseball than we are. They’re clearly a better team than we are right now,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We really didn’t do much well this series. Starting pitching, defense. We had a mistake tonight on the bases. Situational hitting, getting hits. All that kind of stuff, we were outplayed.
“I know where we’re at right now. I don’t think it has any bearing going forward. … Like I always say, no one’s gonna feel sorry for you. You gotta play better.”
Freddie Freeman conceded that the Dodgers played poorly against the Phillies and need to quickly turn the page:
“We didn’t play very good that series. There’s nothing to spin it any different way,” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We didn’t hit. We didn’t do much. As a group, we just have to put it behind us, go to Detroit tomorrow and try to win a series.”
The Dodgers ran into the Phillies at an unfortunate time with several key contributors on the injured list, but the team now has a chance to bounce back against the Detroit Tigers before the All-Star break.
The time off could also prove beneficial as players can rest up and get healthier. Even with their recent struggles, the Dodgers still own the second-best record in the National League behind the Phillies.
Dave Roberts critical of Dodgers
Roberts has been critical of the Dodgers of late for their recent performances. He called the team out after their 10-1 loss to the Phillies in the series opener, and then admonished the defense for failing to help out Gavin Stone in his outing.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
