Dodgers fall to Astros 6-4, drop series vs. Houston

The Dodgers were dealt their first series loss since early June on Saturday, as they dropped their second straight game against the Houston Astros by a final score of 6-4.

Shohei Ohtani celebrated his 31st birthday by taking the mound for the fourth time as a Dodger.

Isaac Paredes ambushed Ohtani for a leadoff single before Cam Smith grounded into a double play. Ohtani recorded a groundout of José Altuve to complete a scoreless 14-pitch first inning.

Ohtani couldn’t ignite the Dodgers offense after his scoreless inning, but Mookie Betts reached at a Framber Valdez curveball and drove it out for his second home run over his past three games.

Ohtani battled back from down 3-0 in the count to strike out Dodger killer Christian Walker on a sweeper in the heart of the plate. Ohtani would find himself in another full count against Victor Caratini, but a sweeper down and inside fooled Caratini into swinging at ball four. Ohtani once again used his sweeper as his put-away pitch against Yainer Diaz, striking out the side for the first time in a Dodger uniform, tallying 31 pitches over his two innings of work. It was Ohtani’s first time striking out the side in an inning since June 2, 2023, coincidentally against the Astros.

The Dodgers helped give reliever Justin Wrobleski a two-run lead to work with after Miguel Rojas slapped an RBI single up the middle against Valdez. It took the Astros just three hitters to erase their deficit as Zach Short, in his first career start with Houston, lined a two-run double down the line to tie the score.

Wroblski induced a soft ground ball from Cam Smith that was fielded cleanly by Rojas, but an off-balance throw sailed away from Freddie Freeman, allowing Short to score and giving Houston the lead. Walker kept adding to his impressive résumé against the Dodgers by knocking the Astros’ fourth run of the inning.

Yainer Diaz stretched the lead to three by leading off the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run. After allowing a walk to Cooper Hummel, Wrobleski was able to collect himself, retiring the next 11 hitters he faced while striking out five before exiting the game in the seventh inning.

Miguel Rojas pulled the Dodgers within a run after attacking a low curveball from Valdez for a two-run home run. Both home runs hit by the Dodgers on Saturday were the only two home runs Valdez has allowed via the curveball all season.

Mookie Betts tallied his second extra-base hit of the game— his first game with multiple extra-base hits since May 19— as he drilled a leadoff double off of Bennet Sousa that snuck past a sliding Hummel in left field. Betts tried to stretch a double into a triple, but was gunned down at third after a great relay throw from Mauricio Dubón at shortstop.

After Houston brought in their sixth run of the game on a sacrifice fly from Victor Caratini, the Dodgers put two men on base in the bottom of the eighth inning against Bryan Abreu. Abreu managed to strike out pinch hitters Hyeseong Kim, before Josh Hader struck out Esteury Ruiz to end the inning. Hader went on to record a four-out save of the Dodgers, his 25th over 25 opportunities.

Game particulars

• Home runs— Mookie Betts (11), Miguel Rojas (4); Yainer Diaz (11)
• WP— Framber Valdez (10-4): 6 IP, 7 hits, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
• LP— Justin Wrobleski (4-3): 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned runs), 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
• SV— Josh Hader (25): 1 ¹⁄₃ IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers end their six game homestand looking to avoid a sweep of the Houston Astros on Sunday (1:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA) before traveling out to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers. Emmet Sheehan makes his second start of the season, while Houston has yet to announce who will start the series finale.