Dodgers come up short, drop series opener to Halos

The Dodgers couldn't take advantage of a big night from Trayce Thompson allowing a pair of big innings to do them in. A four-run third and a three-run seventh proved to be enough for the Angels to hold on and beat the Dodgers 7-6.

The loss drops the Dodgers to 1 ½ games behind the idle Giants in the NL West.

Kenta Maeda allowed four runs for the third time in his last four games, lasting only four innings in his shortest outing of the season. The right-hander has now allowed 14 earned runs over 21 ⅔ innings in his last four starts after allowing just one run over 25 ⅓ innings in his first four starts.

Maeda cruised through the first two innings and combined with Carl Crawford on back-to-back singles that each drove in a run to give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead. But the lead wouldn't last when the Halos jumped all over the Japanese hurler in the third.

Six of the first seven Angels reached safely in the top of the third, nearly knocking Maeda from the game even then. Mike Trout singled in a pair during the onslaught, while Albert Pujols had an RBI-single of his own.

The visiting club would tack on three more in the seventh on a two-run single from Pujols and a run-scoring sac fly off the bat of Johnny Giavotella.

Don't call me Klay's brother

Thompson did his best to keep the Dodgers in the game, hitting two homers that brought the Dodgers to within a run each time. A solo shot in the fourth and a two-run job in the eighth gives the outfielder six homers on the year, which ties him with Corey Seager and Joc Pederson for the club lead.

Thompson was 2-for-3 on the night with a walk and is now 12-for-35 (.343) with five homers in his last 13 games (nine starts) dating back to April 25.

Dave Roberts says Trayce Thompson starts tomorrow in LF and is playing his way into the "everyday outfielder" conversation. #Dodgers

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) May 17, 2016

Injury update

Adrian Gonzalez left the game after his at-bat in the fifth inning due to lower back stiffness. The Dodgers said afterwards that their first baseman is day-to-day.

Up next

The Dodgers and Angels will finish the two-game set at Dodger Stadium and take the show down to Anaheim for two games to finish off the home-and-home Freeway Series. Clayton Kershaw will take the mound for the Dodgers, with Jered Weaver starting for the Halos.

Monday particulars

Home Runs: Trayce Thompson 2 (6)

WP: Matt Shoemaker (2-5): 5 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

LP: Kenta Maeda (3-3): 4 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

Sv: Fernando Salas (2): 1 IP, 1 strikeout