August 28th, 2024 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It’s a painfully familiar equation for Dodger fans: LOB + RISP = Loss.
During Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the American League East second place Baltimore Orioles in front of a sold out Dodger Stadium crowd of 52,382, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts‘ team went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while leaving seven men on base.
What’s worse (if that is even possible) is that Dodgers first baseman Kiké Hernández led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double to center, which was followed by a six-pitch walk by Dodgers second baseman Chris Taylor. But designated hitter Shohei Ohtani popped out to third, right fielder Mookie Betts flied out to right, and left fielder Teoscar Hernández lined out to right to end the inning, stranding Kiké and CT3 on second and first base respectively. (Doesn’t anybody sac bunt anymore?).
“It was just a good ballgame. We ended up losing, but I thought our guys in the bullpen did a fine job. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” was the best that Roberts could come up with postgame.
Teoscar, who drove in the Dodgers second run on a sharp single to left-center field in the bottom of the third inning to give his team a (brief) 2-1 lead, had a far batter explanation.
“They’re a pretty good team. They (Baltimore’s pitchers) throw hard, they hit their spots. That’s when pitchers get harder,” Hernández told reporters postgame. “We had some opportunities, but we didn’t come through with enough good at-bats or hits in those situations.”
(MLB.com)
But…
(SportsNet LA)
Play Ball!
* * * * * *
Posted in 
You live by the home run, you die by the home run. Dodgers need to learn how to play more small ball and manufacture runs without the HR.
Exactly. Everybody wants to be the hero instead of putting the team first.
I totally get swinging for the parking lot had there been two outs, but with no outs, a sac bunt puts runners at second and third, where a fly ball scores a run.
These guys need to check there egos at the door and put the team first.
OK, I’m off my soap box
Yep, I agree, but not many teams play that way anymore. What I’m really tired, bored of is Roberts same old answers. Lame answers for his or Friedman’s decision making. He is a very good YES man! After 8 1/2 years and more post season losses than victories, I believe Roberts message to the players is stale. After this amount time with the STAR players that have been in those teams, there should be a lot more to show than just regular season wins & division titles. Roberts and Friedman are very good at managing a long 162 game season. They’re terrible at short important series and the playoffs! I fully expect this season to end the same way.