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The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered the worst home defeat in Dodger Stadium history Friday night, falling 18-1 to the Houston Astros in a Fourth of July rout that quickly unraveled and never recovered.
The 17-run loss marked the Dodgers’ most lopsided defeat at home since the stadium opened in 1962 and their worst overall since a 20-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 5, 2001. A 10-run sixth inning by Houston — the worst single inning surrendered by Los Angeles this century — added to the historic collapse, according to The Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett.
Ben Casparius, in his second major league season, was tagged for six runs over the first three innings. After posting a 2.93 ERA and holding opponents to a .217 average in his first 40 relief innings this year, Casparius has now allowed 18 runs in 19⅔ innings over his last five outings since moving into a starting role.
“I don't think Ben was good tonight. It seemed like they were on everything he threw up there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Casparius faced 18 batters, allowing nine hits — including three home runs and four doubles. Eight of the first 14 Astros hitters registered exit velocities over 100 mph, with Christian Walker’s 417-foot homer at 107.5 mph highlighting suspicions that Casparius may have been tipping pitches.
“I think just execution in general,” Casparius said. “I think teams are starting to game plan, obviously, a little bit more knowing I'm going to go more than one or two innings.”
Dodgers hit historic low in blowout loss to Astros
The outing began with a leadoff home run by Isaac Paredes and unraveled from there. Jose Altuve homered twice, Victor Caratini hit a grand slam, and Walker added his 28th career home run against the Dodgers, most of which came while he played for Arizona. Now with the Astros, Walker has homered in six straight games at Dodger Stadium, going 15-for-26 (.577) with eight home runs and 15 RBIs during that stretch.
Noah Davis relieved Casparius in the sixth and gave up 10 runs — six hits, three walks, an error, and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch—in one of the ugliest single innings in recent franchise memory. According to Plunkett, it was the most runs allowed by the Dodgers in an inning since April 23, 1999, when the St. Louis Cardinals scored 11 in the third, including two grand slams by Fernando Tatis Sr.
“To get him into the starter role, it was out of need, and he did that,” Roberts said of Casparius. “But getting him back in ‘pen and shortening him up, I think the stuff will play a little bit more too.”
Los Angeles managed just six hits and scored its only run on a solo home run by Will Smith in the second inning.
The Dodgers (56-33) continue their three-game set against the Astros (53-35) on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET, with the series finale scheduled for Sunday at 4:10 p.m. ET.
