Dodgers can't capatilize on Shohei Ohtani's solid start, drop series against Astros

LOS ANGELES -- Even after a solid start by Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers would fall to the Astros by a final score of 6-4, securing the series win. 

Ohtani seems to be finding his footing on the mound as he had his best inning opener appearance so far this season. Ohtani completed another batch of scoreless innings, which included striking out the side in the second. 

As it has played out before, Justin Wrobleski would take the reins on the mound, but was in for a rude awakening as the Astros offense was not done from last night's fireworks show, scoring a total of five runs, four earned, on five hits off the 24-year-old. 

Mookie Betts would begin the scoring for Los Angeles in the bottom of the first with his 11th home run of the season, and would immediately be followed by a Miguel Rojas RBI single, his first of three RBI on the night. The Dodgers' lead would be short-lived as in the following inning, Houston's Zack Short hit an RBI double to left field to tie the game 2-2. 

Cam Smith and Christian Walker would add on their RBIs later on in the inning on a pair of singles, making it a 4-2 Houston lead. Yanier Diaz would lead off the top of the fourth with his 11th homerun of the season, as it seemed imminent that the Dodgers would experience yet another blowout loss to the Astros on back-to-back nights. 

It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth that Rojas would add RBI numbers two and three by way of a two-run home run, cutting Houston's lead by just one. Unfortunately, Los Angeles could not muster up any sort of offense for the next five innings as the Astros would tag on one more insurance run, a Victor Caratini sacrifice fly, to seal away the game and secure the 6-4 victory. 

Los Angeles (56-33) still hold a 7.5 game advantage over the San Diego Padres as they look to avoid the sweep against Houston tomorrow afternoon with Emmet Sheehan making his second appearance of 2025.