PHILADELPHIA -- With all the injuries the Dodgers are currently dealing with, it’s impossible to call this three-game series against the Phillies – the team with the best record in the Majors – a litmus test.

But even with all the things going on at the moment, Los Angeles had a golden opportunity to steal a game from Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Instead, a flurry of missed opportunities doomed the Dodgers in a 4-3 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

“This was a frustrating one,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “You’ve got to give credit to those guys for putting the ball in play and taking advantage of opportunities. We had some opportunities that we couldn’t capitalize on. Ultimately, we came up short.”

Before the game, the Dodgers optioned right-hander Bobby Miller, the latest blow to a starting rotation that has not been up to its standard over the past month. One of the bright spots, however, has been rookie Gavin Stone, who was solid again on Wednesday despite his final line of four runs allowed over 4 2/3 innings.

Outside of a brilliant play by Kiké Hernández at third base, the Dodgers’ defense had its fair share of issues. In the fifth, Andy Pages lost a ball in the sky. The ball had a 99% catch probability. Instead, it resulted in a leadoff triple from Whit Merrifield.

For a moment, though, it looked like the mistake wasn’t going to hurt the Dodgers as Stone got Garrett Stubbs and Kyle Schwarber to ground out for two quick outs, keeping Merrifield 90 feet away. But with two outs, Trea Turner grounded a ball up the middle. Miguel Rojas, who is the team’s best defender, wasn’t able to field the ball cleanly, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead.

Turner’s ball had a 15% hit probability. Two batters later, Bryson Stott hit a weak grounder to second baseman Chris Taylor, who also was unable to get the out on a late throw to first base. Stott’s grounder had a 9% hit probability.

“I make that play nine times out of 10,” Rojas said. “I feel that’s on me. Not just that play [with Turner], but the next play, when Stott hit the ball towards second base. I think it’s an easier play for me than for CT at that moment. I should have made both of those plays and kept the lead that inning.

"That’s on me. I need to be better.”

Offensively, the Dodgers weren’t much better in big situations. In the seventh, the bottom of the Dodgers’ order continued to apply pressure. Taylor got the frame started with a double and Austin Barnes put runners on the corners with one out.

That brought up Shohei Ohtani in the biggest spot of the game. It’s a situation the Dodgers would sign up for every time. Ohtani, however, struck out swinging on four pitches against left-hander Matt Strahm for the second out. Teoscar Hernández then flied out to right field to keep the Dodgers off the board, still trailing by two.

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“I see the fight,” Roberts said. “But unfortunately, we needed that hit. There were some opportunities that we had guys in scoring position and we just didn’t capitalize.”

In the eighth, the Dodgers did come up with some big hits, but ran into some bad luck. Rojas delivered an RBI single to left field to cut the deficit to one, but as he tried to stretch the single into a double, his foot came off the bag and he was tagged out. The Dodgers then went down in order for the final four outs of the game.

“It seemed like, today, the ball had eyes,” Roberts said. “And that’s baseball.”