Dodgers’ Dave Roberts drops truth bomb after embarrassing sweep vs. Red Sox

Despite being outscored 20-10 over the last three nights, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a chance to win each game of their inter-league series against the fearless Boston Red Sox. Chad Tracy’s ballclub did what it has been doing for much of its magical summer, though: punched back and then landed a couple of devastating blows to knock out the competition.

The Dodgers (69-43) tend to emit an intimidating presence — back-to-back World Series championships and a historic roster without any glaring weaknesses will have normally that effect — but the Red Sox (60-51) were the ones doing the rattling this weekend. Ceddanne Rafaela smashed four home runs in this trip to LA, the bullpen remained elite and the lineup forced the champs to make uncharacteristic mistakes by consistently putting the ball in play.

Dave Roberts summed up his squad’s performance with a tough yet accurate admission.“They outplayed us,” the decorated manager said after Sunday’s 8-4 loss, per The Sporting Tribune’s Fredo Cervantes. “They were hungrier.”

The Dodgers have now been swept at home twice in less than a month and have dropped five of their last seven games overall, remaining a half-game behind the Milwaukee Brewers for MLB’s best record. There is no reason for panic, but if not for the massive Tarik Skubal trade, there would at least be some uncertainty surrounding LA. Perhaps there should be, anyway.

Although the Brew Crew and Toronto Blue Jays were both unsuccessful last year, a small-ball approach may be the best way to overcome the Dodgers’ talent advantage. The Red Sox have been executing that strategy near-flawlessly for the last five weeks, sprinkling in some timely home runs and relying on their stalwart pitching staff to clinch wins. LA can embody that valuable yet underappreciated brand of baseball as well, however.

Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages helped the franchise earn a second straight title by making the right play. The Dodgers are not solely dependent on their superstars, and that is why they have a chance to obtain MLB immortality this fall. But they just looked extremely mortal in Chavez Ravine.

Perhaps Los Angeles will get the opportunity to avenge this thumping in October.

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