The Dodgers’ red-hot start to the season finally hit a wall. After rolling to an 8-0 record to start the season, Los Angeles came up just short against the Phillies Friday night, dropping a tight one, 3-2, and halting any dreams of chasing down the franchiseâs best-ever 10-0 start from 1955.
Phillies’ lefty Jesús Luzardo was the difference-maker from the first inning on, holding the Dodgers to just two hits across seven sharp innings while piling up eight strikeouts.
“Healthy after missing more than half the 2024 season with a back injury, Luzardo’s velocity is in the same range as 2023, when he struck out 208 over a career-high 178â innings,” wrote Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia Friday night. “If he stays healthy, he has a chance to make this his career year.”
The Dodgers didn’t go away quietly. Tommy Edman gave them life in the seventh with a two-run homer that injected some late energy into the dugout and had the Dodger faithful sensing another dramatic finish similar to Wednesday night. But the rally stalled there. Philadelphia’s bullpen shut the door, leaving the Dodgers just a few swings away from a win. Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto punched out five over six innings, surrendering just an unearned run in a sharp outing.
“When you give a good team outs and shorten the game, then it’s hard to win,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com. “It’s hard to beat a good team. That’s what happened tonight.”
Thereâs no panic in Los Angeles â itâs one loss in early April â but it does serve as a reminder: the season is long, and even the best teams get humbled now and then. The Dodgers will hang on to their status as World Series favorites, but the shot at tying their legendary ’55 squad is now off the table.
For the Phillies, it was a statement win on national TV, knocking off the league’s hottest team and grabbing momentum of their own. Roki Sasaki faces Aaron Nola on Saturday.
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