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Mookie Betts earned a unique elevation Sunday from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Betts moved back to the top of the batting order in a swap with Shohei Ohtani. Dave Roberts pulled off the change before facing the Milwaukee Brewers for the third time.
Roberts envisioned Betts to focus on getting on base. But the Dodgers fell again to the Brewers 6-5. Milwaukee has now defeated L.A. six consecutive times — but sweeps this series at Chavez Ravine.
Betts himself left the game delivering a harsh critique of himself. He shared this blunt admission with SportsNet LA after the narrow defeat.
Was Mookie Betts ineffective Sunday in Dodgers vs. Brewers?
Betts totaled five at-bat attempts. Again, he earned the opportunity to set the tone for L.A. in handling leadoff duties for the first time in awhile.
Betts, however, swung and missed three times to start the game. He never smacked a foul or even took a ball against Jose Quintana. The Brewers' left hander flamed Betts with two sinkers and a curve — the latter pitch forcing the third strike.
The perennial MLB All-Star managed to redeem himself in the bottom of the third. Betts took two balls before blasting the baseball toward center. The 91 mph sinker dropped to the field for a Betts single.
But then Betts grounded out toward third after taking a curve ball in the bottom of the fifth. He later flied out at center field in the eighth. The Dodgers then had one last chance to tie or take the lead with Betts at the plate. Los Angeles had two runners at second and third. But Abner Uribe forced the line out at center to end the game.
Betts keeps leadoff duties until Max Muncy returns, Roberts told reporters before the game.
