The Dodgers suffered a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals, marking their third consecutive defeat. Despite manager Dave Roberts' optimism, the team's offense struggled, recording only five hits against a struggling pitching staff.
ST. LOUIS ââ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he had a âgood feelingâ about his slumping offense at the start of a six-game road trip Friday afternoon.
âThe road, ironically, has been better for us,â he insisted.
By the end of the night, however, that theory couldnât have felt less true.
En route to losing three straight games for the first time this year, the Dodgers star-studded lineup remained ice cold in a 7-2 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals, managing just five hits against a Cardinals pitching staff with the fifth-worst team ERA in the majors.
En route to losing three straight games for the first time this year, the Dodgers star-studded lineup remained ice cold in a 7-2 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
The Dodgers lost to the Cardinals with a score of 7-2.
The Dodgers have lost three consecutive games for the first time this year.
Dave Roberts expressed a 'good feeling' about the offense despite their recent struggles.
The Dodgers managed only five hits against the Cardinals, who have the fifth-worst team ERA in the majors.

Tom Holland revela cĂłmo el pĂĄdel le ayudĂł a superar el alcoholismo
Ipswich town centre turns blue and white in support of Ipswich Town FC ahead of their promotion match!
Angels lose another lead, falling to Mets 3-0 after Ureña's injury.
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
For a fourth-straight game, the Dodgers (20-12) failed to hit a home run, their longest homer drought since June 2023. Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
For a fourth-straight game, the Dodgers (20-12) failed to hit a home run, the longest homer drought for the club since June 2023. And the few times they did get runners aboard, they couldnât capitalize, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position while leaving eight men stranded on base.
They initially got on the board via a Max Muncy RBI double in the second. But after that, theyâd score just one more time, failing to record another extra-base hit until Hyeseong Kimâs double with two outs in the ninth.
It didnât help that, early on Friday, the Cardinals (19-13) jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead against Emmet Sheehan.
Still, for a Dodgers team that has invested more than $1 billion into its batting order in recent years, this recent slump is starting to grow maddening. Theyâre now 5-8 in their last 13 games, and have scored at least five runs only five times in that stretch.
The search for good feelings, or performances at the plate, goes on.
They initially got on the board via a Max Muncy RBI double in the second. Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
It didnât help that, early on Friday, the Cardinals (19-13) jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead against Emmet Sheehan. Getty Images
What it means
As part of his optimistic pregame message, Roberts said he wanted his hitters to be âreally locking in on our zones, having a plan, and then going and executing.â
Instead, another listless night followed.
The most glaring problem of late has been the clubâs lack of power. In the seasonâs first 22 games, they belted 42 home runs with a .507 team slugging percentage (both best in the majors up to that point). Since then, however, they have only three long balls and a .306 slugging percentage in their last 10 games (worst in the majors over that span).
Whoâs hot
Anyone who gets to pitch against the Dodgers right now, including even Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore.
Entering Friday, he had a 4.75 ERA and was coming off a five-run clunker to the light-hitting Seattle Mariners offense. But against the Dodgers, he cruised right along, navigating traffic en route to a 5 â -inning, two-run start.
After Muncyâs double in the second, the Dodgers came up empty in a two-on, no-out opportunity in the third, when Kyle Tucker lined out and Andy Pages hit into an inning-ending double-play. In the sixth, the bases were loaded with one out, but a sacrifice fly from Tucker was all the Dodgers could produce.
By the end of the night, Shohei Ohtani was 0-for-5, Freddie Freeman was the teamâs only batter with multiple hits, and the club had been held to five total runs during this three-game losing skid.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
By the end of the night, Shohei Ohtani was 0-for-5, Freddie Freeman was the teamâs only batter with multiple hits, and the club had been held to five total runs during this three-game losing skid. Getty Images
Whoâs not
A couple starts ago, Emmet Sheehan thought his fastball velocity troubles were behind him. Since then, the problem has only gotten worse.
On Friday, the right-hander averaged a season-low 93.4 mph with his four-seamer ââ including a 92.9 mph heater in the first inning that Nolan Gorman hit for a two-run homer, and another at 89.7 mph in the fourth that marked the slowest fastball of his MLB career.
It didnât prevent him from still striking out eight batters in his 4 â -inning, four-run start. It wasnât his only issue either, not on a night he balked in a run and gave up another solo home on a low slider to Alex Burleson in the third.
But with the Dodgers facing a key rotation decision as Blake Snell nears his return, Sheehanâs lack of velocity (he averaged 95.6 mph with his fastball last year) will nonetheless remain a concern, especially with his overall ERA still up at 5.23.
Up next
Like Sheehan, fellow right-hander Roki Sasaki is fighting to keep his rotation spot at the moment. Heâll take the mound Saturday, trying to improve his 1-2 record and 6.35 ERA. Michael McGreevy (1-2, 2.97 ERA) goes for St. Louis.