A s recently as July 3, the Los Angeles Dodgers were sitting on a comfortable nine-game lead in the NL West. The defending World Series champs had won four straight games and 15 of their last 18 games despite having a full 13-man pitching staff on the injured list and getting something less than superstar play from Mookie Betts.

The Los Angeles Dodgers looked to be running away with the top spot in the National League, but a 10-13 record in the second half has seen the surging San Diego Padres draw even with Shohei Ohtani and Co.

This is the team that executed this play in the World Series just this last fall and got a parade at the end of it. But still, the early pulling of the reigning World Series MVP cemented a drubbing, with a 7-4 loss pushing the Dodgers into an uncomfortable position.

Bullpen fails again, giving up tying run in ninth and winning run in 10th as stumbling Dodgers fall to the Angels.

The Los Angeles Dodgers head into Tuesday night's game with the Los Angeles Angels knowing they already have lost the season's Freeway Series to their Southern California rivals for the first time since 2019.

Los Angeles Dodgers (68-51, first in the NL West) vs. Los Angeles Angels (57-62, fourth in the AL West) Anaheim, California; Tuesday, 9:38 p.m. EDT. PITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: E