The Dodgers Were Completely Hapless With The Bases Loaded Sunday

The Los Angeles Dodgers jumped out to an early lead in Sunday’s Game 2 of the NLDS, with a solo shot from Corey Seager putting them on the board in the first inning.

From there, though, the Dodgers found runs hard to come by—but not from trouble getting on base. In the 5-2 loss to the Washington Nationals, the Dodgers loaded the bases and then failed to make anything happen not once, not twice, but three times. In total, 12 Dodgers were left stranded, with the team going a collective 0-for-5 with the bases loaded. Though relentless, their failure was at least varied, with strikeouts, ground outs, and a line out all ending bases-loaded plate appearances.

The Nationals, meanwhile, fared far better with men aboard—going 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position, compared to the Dodgers’ 1-for-9 effort. Though Dodgers starter Rich Hill began the afternoon with his gorgeous curveball in its purest and most strikeout-inducing version, he started to leave some hanging in the fourth inning and was pulled before the fifth was through.

Washington’s Daniel Murphy showed that last year’s dazzling playoff effort might not have been a one-time affair, going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. But it was backup catcher José Lobaton, replacing the injured Wilson Ramos, who provided the bulk of the Nats’ offense with a three-run dinger. (Useful context for making this more fun: in three full seasons in Washington, Lobaton has hit a combined eight home runs.)

With the series even at one game apiece, it moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday.