Another Chilling Defeat for Dodgers

Anything seemed possible to the Dodgers during a recent 10-game winning streak, but that seems so long ago now.

The struggling bunch further regressed Sunday in a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers before 35,611 at Dodger Stadium.

“We played so well for 10 games, and we really haven’t played well for the last six,” said catcher Paul Lo Duca, who went two for three and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

“We sort of got into a ‘happy place’ where we thought we were just going to keep winning. We got a wake-up call. We still have to battle to beat these guys.”

The lowly Brewers (22-34) took two of three from the Dodgers, who are 1-5 in their last six games and appear lost except when Kevin Brown pitches.

“This is going to make the flight home more enjoyable,” Milwaukee Manager Ned Yost said. “We really wanted to win this one because they swept us [May 23-25] in Milwaukee, so our goal was to win two of three. We did.”

The Dodgers got a two-run home run from left fielder Brian Jordan -- his first homer since April 3 -- but had only six hits and failed to capitalize on several late-inning opportunities. Even the return of leadoff batter Dave Roberts, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, wasn’t enough to jump-start the still-sluggish Dodger offense. Roberts went hitless in three at-bats with a sacrifice bunt.

The second-place Dodgers (31-25) fell 4 1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West. They’re searching for answers, and run production, again.

“It’s hard to say what’s wrong,” right fielder Shawn Green said. “It just seemed like every game [during the streak], we seemed to score enough. The last few games, we’ve scored just enough to lose.”

The Brewers also benefited from Kazuhisa Ishii’s second consecutive shaky start.

The left-hander labored while throwing a season-high 122 pitches in only five innings, though he did match his season high with eight strikeouts. Wes Helms’ eighth home run was among six hits Ishii gave up.

“I tried to create a rhythm from the beginning,” Ishii said through an interpreter. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that.”

Ishii’s command problems contributed to a 3-hour 10-minute game that began badly for the Dodgers and ended the same way.

“He just couldn’t find a rhythm,” Lo Duca said. “He never got in a complete flow where he felt comfortable.

“He was battling with every pitch. He paid for every mistake he made.”

Guillermo Mota (2-2) also had a frustrating experience after relieving Ishii.

The right-hander gave up his first home run of the season in the seventh to Brewer first baseman Richie Sexson -- a go-ahead solo shot to center on a 2-and-1 fastball. Sexson’s 17th homer, his second of the series, broke a 3-3 tie, and the Brewer pitching staff held on despite several shaky moments in the final three innings.

The Dodgers failed to score despite getting the leadoff batter on in the seventh and eighth, and pinch-hitter Bubba Crosby represented the potential winning run in the ninth with Adrian Beltre on first after a two-out walk.

The rookie outfielder had a good at-bat against Milwaukee closer Mike DeJean, working the count full after falling behind, 0-and-2.

But Crosby flied out to left to end the game, giving DeJean, the fifth Brewer pitcher, his 12th save. Reliever Jayson Durocher (1-0) worked 1 2/3 perfect innings for the victory.

With one out and the score tied, 3-3, in the sixth and Lo Duca on second, Durocher, a relative of former Dodger manager Leo Durocher, struck out Jordan on a check swing. Ron Coomer flied out to center.

“Right now, our offense isn’t [doing enough], and we’ve got to take advantage of this stretch we’re getting in the schedule,” said second baseman Jolbert Cabrera, who doubled and scored in the fifth.

“Against these teams [like the Brewers], this is the time to do it right now.”

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Hitting His Stride

Paul Lo Duca continued on a torrid pace Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. A look at some of Lo Duca’s offensive numbers this season.

* Sunday...2 for 3 with a walk

* Last three games...5 for 11 (.455)

* Last 11 games...22 for 44 (.500)

* Multi-hit games...21 (leads team)

* Two-hit games...18

* Three-hit games...2

* Four-hit games ...1