Dodgers Collapse in Eighth Inning as Guardians Rally with Five Runs to Win Series Finale 7-4 in Stunning Fashion

The Los Angeles Dodgers seemed poised to wrap up their series against the Cleveland Guardians with a win. They held a late lead, had quality pitching through seven innings, and were just six outs away from taking the finale. But then came the eighth inning — a disastrous, unraveling frame that saw the Dodgers give up five runs. That meltdown proved decisive, as the Guardians surged ahead to claim a 7-4 victory at Dodger Stadium, leaving L.A. with a bitter taste to close out the homestand.

The Dodgers had been in control for much of the afternoon, buoyed by solid starting pitching and timely hitting. Right-hander Bobby Miller, making just his fifth start of the season after coming off the injured list earlier this month, delivered a strong outing. He worked six innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking none. His fastball touched triple digits and, for the most part, he kept Guardians hitters off balance with an effective mix of changeups and sliders. His performance put the Dodgers in a good position — and for most of the game, it looked like they’d reward him with a win.

On the offensive side, the Dodgers got going early. In the second inning, Will Smith led off with a single before Max Muncy launched a two-run homer into the right-field pavilion off Cleveland starter Logan Allen. It was Muncy’s 12th home run of the season and gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead. They would add another run in the fourth when Freddie Freeman doubled and was brought home on a line-drive single to center by Teoscar Hernández. Allen, who entered with a 5.20 ERA, settled down after that but was pulled after five innings having allowed three earned runs on seven hits.

Cleveland chipped away in the sixth. A leadoff double by José Ramírez was followed by a single from Josh Naylor, and a sacrifice fly by David Fry put the Guardians on the board. Another run scored on a two-out single from Andrés Giménez, making it a one-run game, but Miller bore down to get the third out and preserve a 3-2 lead. It felt like a manageable moment for Los Angeles, and the bullpen — which had been a strength recently — was handed the job of securing the final nine outs.

In the seventh, the Dodgers added what looked like a key insurance run. With two outs and Mookie Betts on second following a walk and a stolen base, Shohei Ohtani roped a single into right to bring him home. That run made it 4-2 and seemed to give the Dodgers breathing room. Evan Phillips, their most trusted high-leverage reliever, had already pitched in the first two games of the series and was unavailable. Instead, the eighth inning was handed to righty Blake Treinen, who had returned from shoulder surgery and shown flashes of his 2021 form.

But things went off the rails almost immediately. Treinen issued a leadoff walk to Steven Kwan, then gave up a double to Ramírez that rolled all the way to the wall in center. With runners on second and third and no outs, Treinen managed to get Naylor to ground out softly to second, scoring one and moving Ramírez to third. The score was now 4-3, but the danger remained. David Fry then singled through the left side, tying the game and electrifying the Guardians’ dugout.

Manager Dave Roberts made a move to the bullpen, bringing in Alex Vesia to face the left-handed Giménez. But Giménez drove the first pitch he saw into the gap in left-center, a ringing double that scored Fry and gave the Guardians their first lead of the day, 5-4. From there, it snowballed. A wild pitch moved Giménez to third, and two batters later, Bo Naylor singled to make it 6-4. That chased Vesia, and in came J.P. Feyereisen, who promptly gave up a double to Tyler Freeman. Kwan then lifted a bloop single over the drawn-in infield, scoring Naylor to push the lead to 7-4.

By the time the inning was finally over, the Guardians had sent 10 men to the plate, racked up five hits, and scored five runs — all of them earned. The Dodger Stadium crowd, which had been roaring earlier, fell into stunned silence. The collapse was unexpected, jarring, and completely flipped the tone of what had been a well-played game.

Los Angeles went quietly in the bottom of the eighth and again in the ninth. Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase shut the door with a pair of strikeouts, including getting Ohtani on a nasty 101-mph cutter to end it. The Guardians spilled onto the field, celebrating a hard-fought win and a 2-1 series triumph on the road. For the Dodgers, it was a frustrating reminder of how quickly a game can turn, and how vulnerable even the most established teams can look when the bullpen falters.

After the game, Roberts acknowledged the sting of the loss. “We were in control for most of the game. It got away from us in the eighth. That’s a tough one,” he said. “We’ve leaned on our bullpen all year, and today it just didn’t happen. Treinen’s been good. Vesia’s been good. They just didn’t have it today. That’s baseball.”

Freeman, who went 2-for-4 with a double, echoed his manager. “We had our chances to shut the door and we didn’t. That eighth inning got messy, and credit to them — they capitalized.”

The Guardians, meanwhile, were thrilled with their resilience. “We didn’t quit,” Ramírez said. “We knew we had a chance if we kept grinding. That’s the kind of team we are — we fight.” Ramírez finished the day 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, continuing what has been a hot stretch for the star third baseman.

Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt praised his team’s approach. “Great at-bats, great energy in the dugout,” Vogt said. “Even when we were down, I didn’t feel like we were out of it. That eighth inning showed what we’re capable of when we’re locked in. Really proud of our guys.”

The loss drops the Dodgers to 33-22 on the season. They still sit atop the National League West, but the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are both within striking distance. The Dodgers have been dominant at times, particularly at home, but late-inning bullpen woes have now cost them multiple games this month — a trend they will need to address if they hope to maintain their lead in the division.

The Guardians, meanwhile, improve to 35-19 and continue to sit near the top of the American League Central. They have been one of baseball’s early surprises, thriving under Vogt’s leadership and getting timely contributions from up and down the roster. The five-run explosion on Thursday was the latest example of their knack for capitalizing on late-game opportunities.

For the Dodgers, it’s a matter of regrouping quickly. They hit the road for a six-game trip starting in Colorado, a place known for its offensive fireworks and bullpen stress tests. Roberts said the team has to “flush this one and move on,” but also acknowledged they’d be evaluating their late-game pitching options going forward.

The Dodgers still boast one of baseball’s best lineups, and their rotation has been solid even amid injuries. But as Thursday’s loss underscored, no lead is safe without dependable relief. And with Phillips unavailable, the cracks in the bullpen depth were exposed.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that the offense continues to produce. Muncy, Freeman, Betts, and Ohtani all contributed, and the Dodgers did score in three separate innings. But in baseball, momentum can shift on a single walk, a seeing-eye single, or a mislocated pitch. The eighth inning had all of those — and more.

It was a gut punch of a loss, the kind that can linger. The Dodgers will need to respond — and they’ll get that chance soon. But as they left the field Thursday, the Guardians left a clear message: they are for real, and they can beat anyone, even on the road, even in dramatic fashion.

For Los Angeles, it was a warning. For Cleveland, it was a statement win. And for baseball fans, it was a reminder of the game’s unforgiving beauty.