The Los Angeles Dodgers continued to suffer through their offensive slump on Thursday night, dropping the opening game of their four-game weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1 at Dodger Stadium.
The loss dropped the Dodgers two games behind the Cardinals for the second wild card in the National League.
Los Angeles struck first in the opening frame with an RBI double by Adrian Gonzalez for a 1-0 lead. It was the second straight game the Dodgers scored in the first inning on an RBI double by Gonzalez, after going 14 games without a first-inning run.
But the Dodgers repeated themselves on Thursday night by not scoring any runs for the final eight innings, just as they did Wednesday night. The Dodgers have scored three runs in their last four games.
"It's been a lot of the same game over and over, and we have got to get over that hump," said manager Don Mattingly. "I don't know really know how to identify where that hump is, but we have to get across it.
Lance Lynn struck out seven in his six innings for his 15th win of the season.
Paco Rodriguez allowed one run in relief in the seventh inning, taking his first major league loss, in his third major league appearance.
Chris Capuano starts for the Dodgers on Friday night, facing Joe Kelly for St. Louis.
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