Dodgers shut out for first time since May

LOS ANGELES -- On the season, the Dodgers are a whopping 40 games over .500. But for the last three weeks, they’re a .500 team. So, when will they flip the switch?

It wasn’t Saturday night, when they were shut out by the Giants, 1-0, to lose the weekend series. Now, even winning at Dodger Stadium, where they’ve been dominant, is no longer assumed. They’ve lost two of their last three series at home.

Another short start -- this time four innings by rookie Tony Gonsolin -- was compounded by a critical defensive miscommunication and general offensive futility, as the Dodgers had only four singles and left the bases loaded twice against Tyler Beede in their first shutout loss since May 18 at Cincinnati and fourth on the season.

• Box score

Gonsolin was charged with a first-inning run and made 39 pitches in the frame as Joc Pederson and rookie Gavin Lux, playing new positions in right field and second base, respectively, let Mike Yastrzemski’s leadoff blooper fall untouched. Gonsolin also walked two in the first inning and the Giants left the bases loaded.

Lux, a natural shortstop shifted into shallow right field, said he and Pederson simultaneously called for Yastrzemski’s popup, then both peeled off and it dropped.

“It was just a miscommunication,” said Lux. “I was in a shift. It happens, it’s baseball. Joc called it, I called it at the same time. It happens.”

The only run of the game eventually scored on a one-out, bases-loaded groundout by Kevin Pillar. Gonsolin didn’t allow a hit after that first inning but an 88-pitch count cut short his start after four innings trailing, 1-0, with five strikeouts and four walks.

“I grinded through the first inning,” said Gonsolin. “I think it’s another example of lack of executing and I made the adjustment after that. My command just wasn’t great.”

That makes 10 consecutive games the Dodgers starter hasn’t gone past the fifth inning and fourth consecutive time the starter didn’t finish the fifth inning.

Manager Dave Roberts characterized Gonsolin’s start in the best possible light.

“We lose a game, but to see what Tony did after that first super stressful inning -- where he was a hitter away from being removed -- to not concede and reset and throw three scoreless innings. That showed a lot of maturity. I still think there were some good things to take away.”

Nonetheless, after using five relievers for five innings in Clayton Kershaw’s four-ining start on Friday night, Roberts used six more to pitch the final five scoreless innings on Saturday. That included Joe Kelly, who Roberts said has been dealing with a lower-half issue that forced the club not to use him since last weekend.

“The stuff was coming out really good, but there was a residual with the body,” said Roberts. “It’s nothing alarming, but Joe wants to be able to repeat the delivery. It’s more his legs.”

On Sunday, the Dodgers will continue the transition to starter of Julio Urias, who is expected to pitch three or four innings. He’ll be backed up by Kenta Maeda, but the bullpen still could be hard pressed, even though rosters have expanded.

Then there’s the offense, which looks like it will be glad if Max Muncy can return next weekend. The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the second and fifth innings, with San Francisco third baseman Evan Longoria’s diving stop of Will Smith’s second-inning infield single preserving the shutout.

Among the six Dodgers relievers was rookie Dustin May, making his first appearance since taking a line drive off his head in Arizona last Sunday. He pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning.