Dodgers react to 'frustrating,' 'deflating' losing streak

As one might imagine, having the same negative result day after day can be discouraging, especially for a team with such high positive expectations as the Dodgers. But the $230 million Dodgers have lost seven in a row and sit at 13-20, dead last in the National League West.

The team currently has nine players on the disabled list, and a first baseman in Adrian Gonzalez who, while active, is dealing with a painful neck injury of his own. But the Dodgers don't to use injuries as a crutch.

"You can't make excuses. There are a lot of teams dealing with that stuff," said Clayton Kershaw, who picked up a no-decision after pitching seven innings in Wednesday night's 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. "The toughest part is trying to point a finger at why we are losing. It would be easier to say this is what's going on, fix that and get back to square one. It seems like every night we find ways to lose in different ways, and that's the hard part about it."

During the seven-game losing streak, Kershaw has twice allowed one earned run in seven innings, but doesn't have a win to show for it.

"Every day at this point is deflating. It keeps kind of creeping on you, day in and day out," said manager Don Mattingly. "You get Kersh out there and he keeps them to two runs, and we weren't able to put more on the board."

The Dodgers started the year at 7-4, but are 6-16 since. All seven losses on the current losing streak have come against divisional opponents.

"I'm frustrated, and I think the rest of the team is too. It's no fun to come to the park and lose every single day. You need to check yourself if you're not a little frustrated right now," said Kershaw. "There are a lot of expectations at this point. The talent is there, but we just aren't winning games.

"If you ask me if I expect to have six-game losing streaks with this team, no. You go through ups and downs throughout the course of the year, but I didn't expect us to be 13-20."

Center fielder Matt Kemp, who has one home run and a .352 slugging percentage through 33 games, dismissed any notion that Mattingly was on the hot seat.

"It's not the manager's fault. He's not swinging the bat, he's not running the bases," Kemp said. "We all know what we need to do."

The Dodgers will get a chance to do what they need to do on Friday, beginning a weekend series against the rarest of breeds: a team with a worst record than they have, the 10-25 Marlins.