After being handed a particularly notable loss yesterday, the Dodgers and Cubs played a much closer game today, which ended up as a back-and-forth affair. However, the Dodgers staff simply allowed too many homers for a lineup that has continued to struggle of late, resulting in a 4-2 loss today and a series loss to the Cubs.
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Spot starter Colin Rea started with a pair of strikeouts in a dominant 1st, but back-to-back one-out singles from Michael Conforto and Will Smith cornered the runners, and Enrique Hernandez eventually came up with a clutch two-out single to make it 1-0 in the 2nd.
Kiké strikes first! pic.twitter.com/CEPW3hsoBU
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2025
Rea allowed just a single in the 3rd, and his day was done after a two-out walk in the 4th. Brad Keller finished off that inning, and worked around a two-out walk and single in the 5th to keep the Dodgers mostly quiet.
That bought the Cubs offense some time to scratch across runs.
For the Dodgers, Tyler Glasnow started about as well as possible, tallying a eight-pitch 1st and followed that with a 12-pitch 2nd.
400 feet away and you can still see that’s paint ? pic.twitter.com/3HaJO8OaHB
— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2025
However, the 3rd started with Pete Crow-Armstrong hitting a homer off the foul pole in right to tie things up at 1-1.
PCA off the foul pole! #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/mqfpW7KBj3
— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2025
A walk and wild pitch followed, and it took a diving play from Tommy Edman in center to keep the game knotted, helping Glasnow escape the jam.
Tommy Edman lays out to prevent a run ? #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/wFvYiJT09y
— MLB (@MLB) April 13, 2025
He worked around another single and wild pitch in the 4th, as well as a hit batter in the 5th, but in the 6th Michael Busch got hit with a solo homer to right for a 2-1 lead.
Busch into the bullpen! The @Cubs take the lead on #SundayNightBaseball ? pic.twitter.com/Tb4WjcaTda
— MLB (@MLB) April 14, 2025
Glasnow was sharp and deserved a better fate from the team than exiting down: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 98 Pitches.
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The Dodgers did fight back in the 6th against the Cubs pen, as Michael Conforto singled and Will Smith doubled to put a pair in scoring position. However, they somehow felt fortunate to just get one run, as Max Muncy hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-2, and then a pair of lineouts left them knotted.
Max Muncy tied the game with a sac fly, just missed a homer. pic.twitter.com/5CGRKW8q2i
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 14, 2025
In the 7th, the Dodgers pen finally entered, starting a run of high-leverage arms with Blake Treinen. While he struck out three batters in the inning, he also allowed PCA’s second homer of the day to put the Cubs up 3-2.
PCA TIMES TWO!
The @Cubs grab the lead right back on #SundayNightBaseball with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 2nd dinger of the game. pic.twitter.com/l63F9j1rIQ
— MLB (@MLB) April 14, 2025
Alex Vesia entered in the 8th and labored, but wasn’t done any favors by Conforto misplaying a ball in left for a double. Despite a wild pitch and walk to corner the runners with nobody out, Vesia rebounded with a strikeout and popout to put him on the verge of escape. Unfortunately, a two-out liner from Nico Hoerner dropped in front of Teoscar Hernandez in right for a single and an insurance run at 4-2.
a Nico knock to bring Tuck home ? pic.twitter.com/jBzvJ0c6eq
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 14, 2025
Jack Dreyer was given the 9th, starting with a lead-off triple for more trouble, but wiggled out of it impressively to keep the deficit to two runs.
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The Dodgers managed just a walk in the 7th, then went down in order in the 8th and 9th.
Q: Some fans are panicking, is that crazy to you?
Dave Roberts: “I don’t want to call anyone crazy — you can. I do think it’s too early to panic. We still got a good ball club. Yesterday was ugly. Certainly never want Miggy Ro to throw two innings of a baseball game. We’re going…
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) April 13, 2025
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11-6, as the Dodgers drop another series, their third in a row, and remain third in the NL West.
The Dodgers now welcome the Rockies for a three-game series, and they are coming off being shutout for the series by the Padres. The Dodgers could really use a sweep here, and they start with Dustin May against Antonio Senzatela at 4:10 PM HT/7:10 PM PT/10:10 PM ET.
Tyler Glasnow talked about the grip adjustment he made for his curve after developing the slider. pic.twitter.com/4nlWTj1maF
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 14, 2025
