When it rains, it pours...
After two rain delays, the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped their 11th consecutive game, the longest losing streak in L.A. franchise history, 8-6, to the rival San Francisco Giants on Monday night at AT&T Park.
The bizarre game didn't start until 35 minutes after the original scheduled first pitch, but after one batter, the game was delayed again as heavy rain, thunder, and lighting surrounded the Bay Area.
After a second delay of approximately two hours and 52-minutes, the Dodgers and Giants finally reconvened at 10:50PM PST.
The Dodgers probably wish it hadn't.
Delaying their fate a few hours, didn't change the overall outcome as San Francisco scored 8 runs on 12 hits, handing the Dodgers their 16th loss in their last 17 games.
"I wouldn’t say demoralizing," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts of the loss. "It’s disappointing. … I thought we were going to win that game. I thought we put ourselves in position to win. But we couldn’t hold the lead."
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The biggest culprit amidst the team's current losing streak has been the pitching staff, that for 130 games was the best in baseball, but over the last 17 games has an ERA of 6.25.
Denard Span got the scoring started for San Francisco, when he hit a splash shot into McCovey Cove in the first inning to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.
.@thisisdspan.
That is McCovey Cove. pic.twitter.com/KpAMezKr3f— MLB (@MLB) September 12, 2017
Left-handed hitters continued to tee off against Los Angeles starter Kenta Maeda as Jarrett Parker took the Japanese right-hander deep to start the second inning.
#JarrettParker parked it! #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/2J7j8faPeS— SFGIANTS FAN JULIO D (@locosfgfan) September 12, 2017
With the clock reaching midnight in California, it would have been easy for the Boys in Blue to wallow in their misery and get ready to comeback on Tuesday, but the Dodgers got off the mat with four runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game.
Logan Forsythe, Chris Taylor, and Corey Seager each hit RBI singles to tie the game off San Francisco reliever, Ty Blach who took over for Chris Stratton on the mound after the second delay.
Yasiel Puig gave the Dodgers the lead when he sent a hanging slider from Kyle Crick 441-feet into the left-center seats.
The lead was short-lived as San Francisco took over the back-and forth-battle with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Span and Buster Posey.
Once again, the Dodgers would tie the game in the top of the sixth, courtesy of a two-out RBI double by Justin Turner, but a few minutes later they would cough up the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Pedro Baez allowed an RBI single to Hunter Pence in the bottom of the sixth and Posey brought home an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh as San Francisco went on to win 8-6.
As have most of the Dodgers pitchers recently, Baez has struggled mightily during the team's slump.
In his last five appearances, the right-hander has gone allowed six runs (4 earned), on eight hits with three walks and a 5.25 ERA in just 2 and 2/3 innings of relief that includes three losses.
The season series between the two rivals is now tied at seven games apiece.
Their lead over the Washington Nationals for home field advantage in the postseason is just 3.5 games.
Up Next:
Clayton Kershaw will look to stop the Dodgers 11-game losing streak when he gets the start on normal rest opposite Johnny Cueto on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15PM PST.
