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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 24: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on in the dugout against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Dodgers swiftly changed the batting order ahead of facing the Anaheim Angels Sunday. Moving Mookie Betts out of the order rose as one bold move made by manager Dave Roberts.
Turns out the offensive change did minimal impact. Los Angeles fell into the wrong side of a historic mark during its lopsided 13-5 loss at Chavez Ravine.
But this mark doesn’t involve the final run total. The Dodgers’ pitching became the catalyst behind L.A. diving into a territory not seen since 1961.
Worse for the Dodgers: This particular mark pertains to the Angels’ batting order, which hit an uncanny feat in the closing game of the three-game series.
The Historic Mark hit by the Angels Against the Dodgers
Baseball analyst Sarah Langs scrutinized the bottom of Anaheim’s batting order.
She pinpointed how the Angels started off hitting 11 of their first 11 at-bats. The bottom four smacked the ball 13 times out of 15 attempts total.
“It’s the 1st time in at least the expansion era (1961) a team’s 6-7-8-9 spots started a game 10-for-10 or better,” Langs posted on the social media website X, formerly known as Twitter.
She added how the Angels’ .867 batting average “is the highest by a sixth to nine [batting order] in a game since at least 1900.”
Who Overpowered the Dodgers on Anaheim’s side
Sebastián Rivero handed LA its most fits with the bat. Rivero blasted five hits in front of the Dodger Blue faithful. But he drove in six total runners home.
Rivero ranks as Anaheim’s No. 9 batting option. Meaning the end of the order delivered the most damage on offense. Rivero blasted a single for his first hit of the contest off a 94 miles per hour fastball, which drove two runners home.
Jo Adell pounded away at No. 6 in Anaheim’s order. Adell chipped four hits total through five at-bat attempts. He pounded one home run over to left center field that sailed 433 feet into the LA air before scaling the outfield wall. Adell lured one of his teammates home on the rip.
Third baseman Nick Madrigal added to the hitting display by the Angels’ bottom order with one blast. Centerfielder Jose Siri emerged as one more damaging hitter for the visitors; ripping three hits and driving two teammates home. The catcher Rivero stood alone as Anaheim’s top offensive machine with the team-best five hits.
Who Stood out for the Dodgers During the Lopsided Loss
Sunday surfaced as a breakout day for the catchers on both sides.
Dalton Rushing rose as Roberts and the Dodgers’ lead hitter with four. Rushing drove three teammates to home plate too off a sixth inning home run.
Leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani produced a multiple hit day, ripping two but struggled to blast it deep over the wall. Fellow World Series champ Freddie Freeman moved up to No. 2 in the order before the game. Freeman responded by hitting two balls past the infield on five at-bats.
Max Muncy and Alex Call each earned one hit, but both took one strikeout. Left fielder Ryan Ward became the last Dodger to gain a hit, but pummeled a solo homer in the sixth.
Lorenzo Reyna covers the Los Angeles Rams for Heavy.com. His NFL, college and high school football coverage has been featured on Pro Football Network, Santa Maria Times, Daily Pilot, 24/7 Sports and Scout Media. He is based in southern California. More about Lorenzo Reyna
