The Los Angeles Dodgers were handed a humbling blowout on Friday night, falling 18-1 to the Houston Astros — their worst loss ever at Dodger Stadium and one of the most lopsided defeats in franchise history.
The 17-run margin eclipsed any loss since the Dodgers moved into their iconic home in 1962. It’s also their worst home loss overall since July 3, 1947, when the Brooklyn Dodgers were thrashed 19-2 by the New York Giants.
📰 Table Of Contents
José Altuve Torches LA with Two Home Runs, Five RBIs
Astros second baseman José Altuve was unstoppable, homering twice and driving in five runs in a dominant all-around performance. He reached base five times and silenced the jeers from Dodger fans who loudly booed him during each at-bat, chanting “Cheater! Cheater!” – a reference to Houston’s sign-stealing scandal from the 2017 season.
That year, the Astros beat the Dodgers in the World Series, only for it to be revealed later that they had used video surveillance and trash-can banging to relay pitches. Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. are the only remaining Astros from that controversial championship team.
10-Run Sixth Inning Crushes Dodgers
Houston blew the game open in the sixth inning, exploding for 10 runs – the most the Dodgers have allowed in a single frame since 1999. The inning featured:
A bases-loaded RBI single by rookie Cam Smith
A hit-by-pitch RBI on Christian Walker
A grand slam by Victor Caratini
Another RBI single by Jake Meyers
And a second Altuve homer to cap it off
“That was one you want to flush as soon as possible,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I don’t think there were many positives from this night.”
Ben Casparius Struggles in Second Career Start
Rookie pitcher Ben Casparius had a night to forget. Making just his second major league start, he allowed six runs on nine hits across three innings. Houston wasted no time, with Isaac Paredes launching a leadoff homer on the first pitch of the game. Altuve doubled, then scored on Christian Walker’s RBI single to make it 2-0 in the first inning.
Things spiraled further in the third. After a double by Meyers and Altuve’s 14th homer of the year, Walker smashed a 417-foot blast deep into the left-field pavilion, stretching the lead to 6-1.
“I don’t think Ben was good tonight,” Roberts said bluntly. “It seemed like they were on everything he threw up there.”
Lance McCullers Jr. Shuts Down Dodgers in Return
McCullers (2-3), in just his second start back from a right foot sprain, held the Dodgers to one run over six innings, allowing only four hits and striking out four. The only bright spot for LA came from Will Smith, who hit a solo home run — the team’s lone tally of the night.
Dodgers’ Pitching Depth in Question After Blowout
The loss raises significant concerns about the Dodgers’ pitching depth, especially as the postseason race heats up. Los Angeles used six pitchers on the night, but none could stop the Astros’ relentless offense.
With the series continuing through the weekend, the Dodgers will need a quick reset – and a short memory – if they hope to salvage momentum against one of the American League’s most dangerous teams.
