The Astros crushed the Dodgers 18-1 on July 6, 2025, as starter Ben Casparius struggled. Read how a 10-run inning led to a historic home defeat for LA.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
There are bad losses, and then there's what happened at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. In a game that quickly spiraled from a rough start into a full-blown catastrophe, the Houston Astros dismantled the Los Angeles Dodgers 18-1, handing them one of their most lopsided and demoralizing defeats of the season in front of a stunned home crowd.
A 10-run sixth inning for the Astros turned a bad game into a historic beatdown.
The final score tells the story, but the details are even uglier. The Astros put up crooked numbers in six different innings, culminating in a soul-crushing 10-run sixth that sealed the Dodgers' fate. Starter Ben Casparius was shelled, taking the loss to fall to 6-3, but he was far from the only one to struggle. The Houston offense looked unstoppable, racking up 20 hits against a parade of Dodger pitchers. Meanwhile, the Dodger bats were silent, managing just six scattered hits and a single run in the second inning. No player had more than one hit, a testament to a complete team-wide failure at the plate.
The timing of the on-field collapse couldn't be more poignant, as the front office continues to churn the roster for pitching help. In a move announced before the game, the team recalled right-hander Jack Little from Triple-A Oklahoma City, hoping for a fresh arm. To make room, fellow righty Noah Davis was optioned. This follows the recent release of 38-year-old veteran Luis García, signaling the team's urgent search for reliable options in a bullpen stretched thin by injuries.
The bullpen's struggles are underscored by a grim injury report. The team is still reeling from the news that closer Evan Phillips will miss the rest of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The road to recovery is also long for key arms like Brusdar Graterol, Kyle Hurt, and River Ryan, all of whom remain on the 60-day IL. While Graterol is targeting an August rehab assignment, his absence, along with the others, creates a massive void that the team is desperately trying to fill with moves like the Little call-up.
In a welcome piece of good news amidst the chaos, the Dodgers and Spectrum SportsNet LA announced the launch of SNLA+, a new direct-to-consumer streaming service. This is a game-changer for fans who have long struggled with local blackouts. The partnership with MLB will finally allow viewers in the Los Angeles area to stream games without a cable subscription, making the team more accessible than ever. While it doesn't erase the sting of an 18-1 loss, it's a significant win for the fanbase.
Yesterday was a day to forget on the field, but a test of this team's resolve. With a battered pitching staff getting a fresh look and a new way for fans to watch, the focus now shifts to pure resilience. The Dodgers need to wash off this embarrassing loss, find a spark, and prove that one disastrous game doesn't define their season. All eyes will be on how they respond tomorrow.
