Thursday, 4 a.m.

Wherever the cure for the sliding Tampa Bay Rays is, we can be sure it isn't in Los Angeles.

Yeah, the Rays lost again Wednesday afternoon. That isn't new. The Rays fell for the fifth time in six games in L.A.

The Rays, now 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the AL East, lost 5-4 to the Dodgers to complete a sweep. It was their third straight one-run loss.

Cedric Mullins, a .198 hitter somehow batting third, struck out a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded for the final out.

The Rays had come from behind with a four-run fifth inning. That gave the team a 4-2 lead, but the Dodgers came back. The critical hit as a two-run homer from Freddie Freeman in the sixth off of Kevin Kelly.

In 27 at-bats over their three straight losses, the Rays scored in only three innings.

Shane McClanahan started for the Rays, but he lasted on 3 2/3 innings.

Shohei Ohtani got the win for the Dodgers, going seven innings.

The Rays are off today, then face Washington in a three-game series starting Friday night at Tropicana Field. Griffin Jax (1-5) will start for the Rays against Cade Cavalli (4-4).