September 21st, 2022 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Less than three hours after pulling off one of the greatest come-from-behind wins in recent memory, the National League West Division Champion LA Dodgers lost the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader to the NL West fourth-place Arizona Diamondbacks in what was arguably the worst game the Dodgers have played all season.
“We didn’t play good baseball,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters following his team’s embarrassing 5-2 loss in the second game of the twin bill. “That first game, we kind of stole that one, and then the second game, it’s hard to win a baseball game when you give up outs, give up bases and it was just a sloppy game.”
The Dodgers indeed stole that first game with an offensive power surge in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome their two defensive errors in the Dodgers’ eventual 6-5 win. But no amount of offense could overcome the four defensive errors they committed in the nightcap, including two by Dodgers Game-2 starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, who dropped a (very) routine soft comebacker and then dropped a (very) easy toss from Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman in the top of the sixth inning on what should have been a routine 3-1 putout – this after Anderson hit a batter to lead off the inning and then hit another two batters later.
(SportsNet LA)
“I think overall personally I felt pretty good, but I just turned into a one-man ‘Bad News Bears’ there in the sixth inning, which could’ve been the difference here,” Anderson admitted postgame. “Other than that, I feel like some weird things happened.”
Among those ‘weird things’ were errors also committed by Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner (throwing), and five-time Gold Glove outfielder Mookie Betts (throwing), allowing one of the Dbacks three unearned runs to score.
Then again, it would be criminal not to mention the absolutely spectacular diving catch that Betts made to end the top of the fourth inning to rob Dbacks catcher Carson Kelly of at least a single, but more than likely a double or triple, so there’s that.
(SportsNet LA)
But despite their sloppy play and split doubleheader, the Dodgers still own the best record in all of baseball at 103-45. They also secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with their Game-1 win on Tuesday afternoon, so there’s that, too.
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The fielding has been awful by several Dodgers pitchers – horrible throws to first base, misplayed ground balls (Dustin May has looked like a Little Leaguer trying to field softly hit come-backers), misplays covering first base, failure to back up plays at third base and home, etc. Although he did not officially commit an error, Miguel Vargas needs a whole lot of defensive work in the outfield.