Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno throws during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani swings and misses for a strikeout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani hits a ground ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Tommy Edman hits a two-run single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, celebrates with Andy Pages after scoring on two-run single by Tommy Edman during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates after hitting a double a double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani watches his double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Arizona Diamondbacks’ relief pitcher Paul Sewald, left, and catcher Gabriel Moreno, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, left, celebrates after his solo home run with Freddie Freeman (5) during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno throws during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
LOS ANGELES — Finding success on a Sunday remains elusive for Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan.
The 26-year-old started on a Sunday for the sixth straight week and delivered his finest results in that span, but several teammates let him down in a 5-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
With their latest setback, the Dodgers were swept for the first time this season, creating a sour mood they’ll carry through the four-day All-Star break that begins Monday.
The Dodgers, who came into the day with the fewest errors in MLB (35), committed two more on Sunday, leading to two unearned runs. They had six errors in the three-game series.
“Something we’ve been really good at is not giving away games because of our defense,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “This last week has just been below average, for sure.”
The offense also managed just three hits, including a double and a home run by Shohei Ohtani.
“Situationally, we weren’t good offensively,” Roberts said.
Sheehan was tagged for three runs in 5⅓ innings, but only one was earned. He struck out seven and walked one.
“I’m happy with the work we’ve put in to try to get back to the point we’re at now, and the process of it all,” Sheehan said. “I think we’re in a good spot with what we know we need to work on.”
Sheehan had retired 10 in a row and was sitting on a 3-0 lead when Ildemaro Vargas hit a line drive toward the right-center field gap with one out in the fifth. Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages cut the ball off before it reached the warning track, but his throw to second base was wide.
Nolan Arenado then doubled over Pages’ head to cut it to 3-1. Tim Tawa followed with a drive into right-center and Pages got there in time, but the first-year All-Star dropped the ball for a two-base error, putting runners on second and third.
Arenado then scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly, cutting it to 3-2.
“When you don’t convert outs and then you extend innings, it just makes it harder on the pitcher,” Roberts said. “That’s just the way it is, but I love the way he competed until the end.”
Sheehan came back out for the sixth and walked Perdomo to start the inning. A passed ball moved him to second and a fly ball put him on third, ending Sheehan’s day.
Edgardo Henriquez (4-1) came in and walked Gabriel Moreno. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. then rolled a grounder up the third-base line that Max Muncy fielded, but his throw home hit Perdomo in the back, allowing him to score the tying run on the error.
It was the third error of the series for Muncy.
“In totality, he’s had a great first half on both sides of the baseball, but it wasn’t his best series,” Roberts said of Muncy. “I don’t know the answer behind it.”
Vargas followed with a line drive off the base of the wall near the right-field foul pole, scoring Moreno for a 4-3 lead.
Tawa gave the Diamondbacks some insurance with a solo home run in the ninth, stretching the lead to 5-3.
Sheehan came in 1-4 in his previous five Sunday starts with a 6.15 ERA.
That stretch included an outing against the visiting Angels on June 7 in which he was yanked after surrendering two runs in 1⅓ innings of an eventual 13-5 loss.
That was the Dodgers’ biggest margin of defeat this season until Sheehan took the mound two weeks later on another Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium and was tagged for six runs in 3⅓ innings of a 12-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Sheehan began his latest Sunday by needing 14 pitches to strike out Ketel Marte, but just three to sit down Geraldo Perdomo. He then finished the opening inning by striking out Corbin Carroll.
“The Marte at-bat set the tone,” Roberts said. “He weathered that, got the strike out, struck out the side, (and) kept going.”
He had six strikeouts through three innings.
Arizona left-hander Mitch Bratt made his second MLB start, and the only player on the Dodgers who had faced him before was Mookie Betts, who singled off Bratt in the first inning of a 2023 WBC game when Bratt started for Team Canada and gave up six runs and recorded one out in a 12-1 Team USA win.
Ohtani was the first batter to face Bratt on Sunday and he smashed the first pitch over the fence in center for a 1-0 lead.
Betts came up with runners on second and third and one out in the third, but popped out on the infield off Bratt, bringing up Tommy Edman, who dropped a single in front of Gurriel in left, scoring both runners for a 3-0 lead.
“At the end of the day, they outplayed us,” Roberts said. “They wanted it more. That’s just the truth. Everything matters and we didn’t play well the last five or six days facing a team that’s fighting for their lives and it showed in the series.”