Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Baltimore Orioles’ Colton Cowser, second from right, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Dodgers, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers catcher Chuckie Robinson, right, reaches to tag Baltimore Orioles’ Pete Alonso, left, at home plate during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Baltimore Orioles’ Jeremiah Jackson, left, runs to second base as Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) readies to catch the ball during the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Baltimore Orioles’ Blaze Alexander (23) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Dodgers, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) is greeted by teammates after scoring on a single hit by Max Muncy (13) during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) slides into home plate to score on a single hit by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy as Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo readies to catch the ball during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) slides into home plate to score on a single hit by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy as Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo readies to catch the ball during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani rounds third to home plate to score on a single hit by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Muncy during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)
LOS ANGELES — Even when Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan found the plate on Sunday afternoon, it didn’t seem to matter.
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Sheehan wobbled and weaved through 3⅓ innings against the visiting Baltimore Orioles before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had seen enough.
By then, however, the table had already been set for a 12-1 rout by the Orioles in the rubber game of the three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
The loss was the second straight for the Dodgers, something they haven’t experienced since a four-game skid from May 9-12. They had won nine straight following a defeat since then.
Sheehan (3-5) was tagged for six runs and eight hits in his fourth straight loss to open the month. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out four and walked three.
It was the second abbreviated start in the past three outings for Sheehan, who was removed after 1⅓ innings two Sundays earlier in a 13-5 loss to the visiting Angels, which was previously the most one-sided defeat of the season for the Dodgers.
“My execution was really bad,” Sheehan said. “At this point, my coaches, teammates, the fans, they all deserve better than what I’m putting out there right now.”
Sheehan threw just 47 of 82 pitches for strikes against Baltimore, and 10 of 21 first-pitch strikes.
“In total, it just hasn’t been where we need it to be. Where he wants it to be,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think, right now, he’s probably searching a little bit, but he’ll get a start this next (road trip) and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
Sheehan had difficulty falling behind right from the start.
Taylor Ward led off with a single on a 2-0 pitch. Gunnar Henderson followed with a ground-rule double on the first pitch he saw, and Sheehan fell behind Pete Alonso 3-0 before walking him to load the bases.
Following a mound visit, Samuel Basallo snuck a one-hopper through the right side to score Ward for a 1-0 lead.
After Coby Mayo was called out on a 3-2 check swing that appeared to be ball four, Colton Cowser looped an opposite-field single to shallow left to plate another run for a 2-0 lead.
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Sheehan avoided further damage by striking out Leody Taveras and getting Blaze Alexander to pop out to first.
“I can tell you I’m giving 100 percent,” Sheehan said. “That’s never going to change. That’s all I can say.”
Shohei Ohtani led off the bottom half of the first with a walk and Freddie Freeman lined a hard single to right with one out. Max Muncy came up with two outs and lined an opposite-field single to left, scoring Ohtani just ahead of the tag to cut it to 2-1.
Baltimore got the run back in the second when Ward lined a four-seam fastball just over the fence in right-center field to make it 3-1.
Cowser came up with one out in the third and matched Ward with a solo shot to straightaway center to extend the lead to 4-1.
“I felt good that he limited (the first inning) to two runs, but after that, he just wasn’t sharp. He really wasn’t,” Roberts said. “Slider wasn’t in zone. They were seeing him well. He wasn’t efficient. It was a grind for him.”
After walking two of the first three batters in the fourth, Sheehan was replaced by left-hander Jack Dreyer, who struck out the first batter he faced before surrendering a walk and a two-run single to Cowser to stretch the advantage to 6-1.
“For me, I just felt the best chance for us to stay in that game was to use Dreyer,” Roberts said. “Gives up a walk and then gives up a two-out hit to a lefty. That was two runs, so it wasn’t a good start for our team.”
Back-to-back one-out doubles by Alexander and No. 9 hitter Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh off Jonathan Hernandez made it 7-1. Pete Alonso then went the other way for a three-run homer to right, and it was 10-1.
The Orioles weren’t through with the long ball, as Alexander hit a two-run shot in the eighth to make it 12-1.
“Offensively, we weren’t very good and I feel fortunate that we won a game this series,” Roberts said.
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