Sense of urgency sets in with Dodgers’ struggles

Club is running out of time to fix anemic offense after being two-hit by Padres.

- By Jack HarRIs

ROB LEITER MLB Photos via Getty Images FERNANDO TATIS JR. plates the final run in San Diego's second straight win over L.A. on Saturday.

SAN DIEGO - Dave Roberts does not believe his Dodgers team, amid another unexpected skid that has dropped them into second place in the standings, is suffering from a lack of effort.

What the manager did acknowledge, in the wake of a 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday night, is that their intent might be misplaced.

Right now, it's clear the Dodgers are going through their latest offensive funk.

In two games against the Padres this weekend, they have managed only two runs (both via home runs from rookie infielder Alex Freeland) and five hits. They have failed to adjust against crafty veteran pitchers who, for the most part, have given them very few good pitches to attack.

As a result, they have squandered the division lead they retook just a week ago, going from two games up in the National League West after last weekend's sweep of the Padres, to one game behind their Southern California rivals in the wake of consecutive and stunningly abject offensive displays at Petco Park.

And suddenly, they are facing a look-in-the-mirror moment, needing to recalibrate their approach with a more team-first mindset.

"This time of the season, it's not about the mechanics, your swing," Roberts said.

"It's about how, 'Can I help the team win?'" Lately, in the case of too many stars throughout the lineup, the former is out weighing the latter.

Saturday brought the dynamic into clear focus.

A night after Yu Darvish navigated the Dodgers' lineup in a six-inning, one-run, one-hit gem, Nestor Cortes he of infamous October history, after giving up Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series last year with the New York Yankees had a similarly clear plan of attack.

Or, more accurately, nonattack.