ANAHEIM—We are in the midst of a Dodger Dynasty, the reigning World Series champs boasting a $400 million payroll. While the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in stark contrast, have been the proverbial little brother lying in the shadows.
Ironically, these Angels just completed a sweep at, “The Big A,” in Anaheim. The Angels have owned the Boys in Blue, winning all six games this season of the Freeway series.
It was also the first time in franchise history the Angels have gone 6-0 against the Dodgers in one season.
The sweep signals trouble for the Dodgers, who momentarily were overtaken by the scorching San Diego Padres in the N.L. West.
The Angels earned a convincing win in the opening game of the series on Monday, August 11, taking a 7-4 victory behind a strong Jose Soriano start. They went up 7-0 in the sixth inning and were able to fend off a late-inning comeback.
The final two games were more closely contested, as the Angels had to come from behind in both games to secure a late win.
Jo Adell walked off the Dodgers in Tuesday’s game, with the game winning hit, and Logan O’Hoppe’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth on Wednesday made the difference. Former Dodger Kenley Jansen recorded saves in the first and final game of the series.
The solid series from the Halos gave them three much needed wins and allowed them to leapfrog the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card race. They are now five games behind the New York Yankees, who hold the final postseason spot.
For the first time since leaving the Angels in December 2023 to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani stood on the same dirt where he became an international icon. The ovation from the crowd was equal parts admiration, disappointment and genuine appreciation.
Before he even touched the mound, Ohtani made noise at the plate. Leading off the game, he laced a triple down the right field line, before trotting home moments later to score his MLB-leading 114th run of the season. It was a symbolic opening act, reminding fans that his bat remains one of baseball’s most dangerous weapons.
These Dodgers have been struggling mightily since the All-Star break.
“We have to turn the page and get ready for San Diego,” said Mookie Betts of the loss and the Padres now leapfrogging them for first place in the N.L. West. “We would love to win all these games, but it just wasn’t in the cards.”
Move to last night, where Clayton Kershaw pitched a gem in the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine. Defeating San Diego, 3-2. The win broke a four-game losing streak for Los Angeles, with three of those losses featuring leads blown in the eighth or ninth inning.
The Dodgers bullpen woes have fostered an all-hands-on-deck approach in the middle of August, because of their plethora of top relievers on the injured list.
With 40 games left, the Dodgers are in a dead heat with the Padres at matching (69-53) records. It was a vintage Kershaw performance on the mound. Over six innings, he gave up two hits, one run, three strikeouts.
With the bullpen in shambles, Dodger skipper Dave Roberts put the ball in the hands of newly acquired pitcher Alexis Diaz, who secured the must win victory.
On Sunday, August 17, the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres. The 5-4 victory gives the Dodgers a two-game lead in the N.L. West division over San Diego.
