PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers rolled into Chase Field on June 1, 2026, carrying the momentum of five straight series wins and 14 victories in their last 17 games. But the Arizona Diamondbacks had other plans, halting the Dodgers’ charge with a 4-1 victory in the opener of a four-game series. The loss trimmed the Dodgers’ lead in the National League West to five games over the San Diego Padres and just 5.5 over the surging Diamondbacks, making the division race tighter than it’s been in weeks.
The night was, in many ways, a showcase of what’s made the Dodgers so formidable—and what’s haunted them in crucial moments. Emmet Sheehan, starting for Los Angeles, turned in what many considered his most encouraging outing of the season. He flashed a fastball averaging 95.9 mph, a season high and well above his norm. “I think it’s honestly just trying to relax early, and throw harder later in my delivery,” Sheehan explained after the game, crediting a focus on mechanics and advice from the coaching staff for the uptick in velocity.
Sheehan’s command was nearly flawless for most of the night. After surrendering a double to Corbin Carroll with one out in the first, he retired 15 straight Diamondbacks hitters, mixing in three strikeouts—all coming in the first two innings—while keeping Arizona’s bats off balance. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, speaking before the game, praised the depth and consistency of his rotation. “To see what [Justin Wrobleski’s] done, to see what Roki [Sasaki] has done, to see what Emmet’s done—I think for me we’ve raised the floor of the starting rotation. The top end guys are kind of who they are, which is great. But every night we have a really good chance to win because of the starting pitcher.”
But baseball, as ever, is a game of inches and moments. With the Dodgers up 1-0 in the sixth, Sheehan tried to sneak a fastball past Diamondbacks rookie Tommy Troy. Troy, the No. 9 hitter, made him pay, launching his first career major league home run to tie the game and electrify the Chase Field crowd. “T as in Troy’s first Major League home run,” the Diamondbacks’ social media crowed, and the stadium’s energy shifted.
Sheehan bounced back to finish the inning, but the seventh brought more trouble. With one out and the game still tied, Sheehan left a slider up to Nolan Arenado, who promptly deposited it over the left-centerfield wall for a go-ahead solo shot. That would be Sheehan’s last batter, as he finished his night with a line of 6.1 innings, three hits, two runs (both on solo homers), no walks, and three strikeouts on 92 pitches. “I thought he was really good—certainly deserved better,” Roberts said postgame. “The fastball was good, slider was good, used the curveball, minimized hits.”
The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, struggled to support their starter. They managed just one run in the third inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a double and Andy Pages followed with a bloop double of his own. Ohtani hesitated on Pages’ hit, unsure if the ball would be caught, and held at third. Freddie Freeman then grounded out to drive in Ohtani for the Dodgers’ only run. The rest of the inning fizzled, as Mookie Betts popped up and Kyle Tucker grounded out, stranding Pages in scoring position.
That third-inning sequence was emblematic of the Dodgers’ night at the plate. They went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position but failed to score on either of those hits, stranded five runners overall, and were stymied by some stellar Diamondbacks defense—most notably, a pair of diving catches by Arizona center fielder Jorge Barrosa that robbed Will Smith and Pages of potential hits. “We did all we could really do. Once the ball leaves the bat, it’s out of our hands. So we had some good swings, good at-bats, it just didn’t go our way sometimes,” Kyle Tucker said after the game.
Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was the lone bright spot for the Dodgers’ lineup, notching three hits, but five Dodgers starters went hitless. The lack of offensive support wasted another quality start from the rotation, which entered the night with a National League-best 3.05 ERA.
As the game moved to the late innings, the Dodgers’ bullpen faltered. Jack Dreyer, pitching for the first time since coming off the injured list, entered in the eighth and quickly got two outs. But a bunt single kept the inning alive for Ketel Marte, who hammered a two-run homer over the left field wall to blow the game open at 4-1. “He stays hot,” the Diamondbacks’ broadcast quipped, as the home crowd erupted once more.
The Diamondbacks bullpen, often a weak spot, was flawless on this night. Over the final three innings, they faced the minimum number of Dodgers hitters, erasing a Shohei Ohtani infield single with a double play and closing the door with authority. Arizona closer Paul Sewald notched his 15th save of the season, sealing the win and giving the Diamondbacks a vital boost in the division race.
For the Dodgers, the loss dropped their record to 38-22 and served as a reminder that even the strongest rotations need run support. The offense’s inability to convert opportunities has become a concerning trend, especially as the schedule tightens and the division rivals close in. “Overall, I thought we had some good at-bats and barreled up some balls,” Tucker reflected. “But they made some nice plays and we just weren’t able to get the runs across, so just kind of how it goes sometimes.”
Looking ahead, the Dodgers will turn to Eric Lauer in game two of the series, hoping to halt the Diamondbacks’ momentum and restore their cushion atop the NL West. Arizona, meanwhile, will send Michael Soroka to the mound, eager to keep the pressure on. With three games still to play in this pivotal series, the NL West picture is far from settled—and both clubs know every at-bat could make a difference.