Dodgers drop 7th straight as May falters again, Ohtani belts HR No. 32

SAN FRANCISCO — The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost seven consecutive games, marking their worst slump of the season. In the first game of the final series before the All-Star break, the San Francisco Giants defeated the Dodgers 8-7 on Friday night at Oracle Park.

This downturn isn’t just bad luck—it’s exposing a roster overloaded with injuries and inconsistent pitching. 

The Giants scored five runs in the fifth inning, which proved more than enough to secure a victory over the Dodgers. Right-hander Dustin May, with a record of 5-6 and an ERA of 4.96, lasted only 4⅔ innings. He gave up seven earned runs on five hits and struck out four batters. May also surrendered two home runs: one to Willy Adames and another to Dominic Smith. This performance contributed to his league-leading total of 15 home runs allowed this season. 

During spring training, May displayed moments of dominance, hitting the mid-90s with his fastball and showcasing a sharp sweeper. However, he consistently walked batters, which put him in difficult situations. For instance, he walked two batters to start the fourth inning, and then Jung Hoo Lee hit a two-run single.

The current version of May appears uncertain, seeking clarity and lacking the sharpness necessary to excel in high-pressure starts for a team aiming to repeat.

A starter must have consistent command. May's recent inability to effectively locate his sweeper has cost him games, especially during a critical stretch when the Dodgers need stability; gamble performances only make things worse. With significant offensive struggles and diminished pitching depth, the Dodgers need reliability rather than potential. May, in his current inconsistent form, does not provide the consistency that LA requires at this moment.

The Dodgers' current seven-game losing streak demands a steady hand, not a high-risk starter still finding his form. May’s outstanding potential is overshadowed by his inconsistency and injury history. For a team scrambling for momentum, a safer path—one that protects May’s long-term viability while addressing immediate rotation needs—is the smarter move. He should be used selectively, not as a rotation centerpiece.

However, his career has been repeatedly derailed by injuries: two Tommy John surgeries, a flexor tendon operation, and a near-fatal esophageal tear in 2024. To that point, he’d logged just 191⅔ MLB innings over six years—roughly one full season’s workload.

Despite suffering another loss, the Dodgers’ offense showed signs of life with quality at-bats against the Giants’ ace, Logan Webb. However, they found themselves in a deep hole that they couldn’t fully escape from, despite Shohei Ohtani’s impressive performance and a late offensive surge.

Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run home run into McCovey Cove, marking his 32nd homer of the season. This was the first home run hit into McCovey Cove by an opposing player this season and the first by a Dodger since Max Muncy did it in May 2021. In the third inning, Ha-Seong Kim led off with a single and stole two bases during the game. With Kim on third base and Ohtani at the plate, right-hander Logan Webb threw a 91 mph cutter right down the middle.

Kim had an exciting night, collecting three hits, stealing two bases, and making a tremendous defensive play at second base. He is currently batting .359 over the course of 46 games this season.

Hernandez made his return to the lineup after being absent since last week. He struck out in his first two at-bats against Webb but then hit a two-run double in the sixth inning. Michael Conforto followed with a two-run home run off Webb, his eighth of the season, which marked the end of Webb's night.

Webb (9-6, 2.94 ERA) pitched 5 ⅓ innings, allowing six hits and six runs while recording six strikeouts on 91 pitches.

Mookie Betts demonstrated improvement in his final two at-bats of the game, hitting a double and a single with one out in the ninth inning. In a tight one-run game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts decided to pinch-run for Betts, bringing in Esteury Ruiz. On the third pitch, Ruiz successfully stole second base. Freddie Freeman followed with a walk, but Will Smith grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Dodgers are quickly looking to move on as they prepare for Saturday’s matchup, where Ohtani will make his fifth start of the season. Ohtani (0-0, 1.50 ERA) will take the mound against the Giants' Landen Roupp (6-5, 3.39 ERA).