A Tough Loss to Our Crosstown Rivals 
Last night's game against the Dodgers was a tough one for us Angels fans. The final score was 7-2, with the Dodgers taking the win. Let's dive into the game recap.Pitching and Early Innings
The game started out as a pitching duel. In the top of the 1st inning, our bats were silent as Nolan Schanuel, Luis Rengifo, and Taylor Ward all went down on strikes and fly outs.Our pitchers held their own initially, with the Dodgers also unable to score in the bottom half of the 1st inning as Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman were retired in order.
3rd Inning Woes 
The 3rd inning was where things took a turn for the worse. The Dodgers managed to get on the board with a homer by Gavin Lux. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning. Shohei Ohtani followed with a monstrous 459-foot homer, bringing in Cavan Biggio, who had reached base with a bunt single.Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages also contributed with a double and a ground-rule double, respectively, pushing the score to 4-0 by the end of the inning.
Our Attempts to Rally
In the top of the 4th inning, we finally managed to get a run on the board. Nolan Schanuel reached first base on catcher's interference, eventually scoring thanks to a ground-rule double by Taylor Ward and a ground out by Willie Calhoun. Although we scored, it wasn't enough to shift the momentum.Though our bullpen tried their best, the Dodgers capitalized on their opportunities, including an additional run in the 5th inning from a single by Gavin Lux.
A Glimmer of Hope
We saw a little bit of hope in the top of the 7th inning when Logan O'Hoppe hit a solo homer to right center, making the score 7-2. Unfortunately, our bats fell silent afterward, as Michael Stefanic grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.Closing Struggles
Despite efforts in the 8th and 9th innings, we couldn't mount any significant offense against the Dodgers' bullpen. Mickey Moniak singled in the 8th but couldn't advance past first base. In the 9th, Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward, and Willie Calhoun were all retired in order, ending the game with a final score of 7-2.Looking Forward
This loss was a tough pill to swallow, but we can take some solace in the individual performances like Logan O'Hoppe's homer and Taylor Ward's double. We've got to regroup and focus on the upcoming games. Let's keep our heads up, Angels fans!
Go Angels!
️
Scoreboard for Angels @ Dodgers (June 23rd, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |